The Moirai Zealot
by nozomi.no.uta
Summary: She gave him his heart. Now he's tearing worlds apart to rip out hers. Official sequel to "The Kismet Scribe."
1. Panic

**EDITED 6/26/2010**

**Author's Comments: **This is the official sequel to _The Kismet Scribe, _taking place some time after _The Letter_. Heads up: it's a multi-chapter story. (Hopefully it won't turn out as long as its predecessor, though.) Updates may or may not be consistent, but I'll try my best. Please enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts, its characters, or its story lines (as noted with an *). I own Imani.

* * *

_You don't need to possess a heart to know how to manipulate it. _*

_

* * *

_

Where are they?

My bare feet pound against the dirt roads, kicking up small clouds of dust around my ankles as I whirl around wildly. Strands of my hair wrap around the corners of my mouth, partially sucked in by the gallons of air I'm trying to inhale to clear away the panic constricting my lungs. A tiny voice in the back of my mind makes a note to cut it the next chance I find.

Where _are _they?

All the buildings blend with each other into streaks of color as I dash down another street and weave amidst the town's inhabitants, none of whom are any of the three teens I'm searching for.

WHERE ARE THEY?

"I…Imani?"

My eyes fly open so quickly they nearly pop out of their sockets. Before me stands a girl with reddish purple hair tied loosely in a ponytail, the sleeves of her school uniform rolled back and her arms wrapped around a few textbooks.

One tendril of the panic grasping my thundering heart relinquishes, but the remaining coil even tighter.

"He's here," I whisper, falling to my knees. "He's _here…_"

"Who?" The girl instantly kneels down beside me. "Who's here?"

Sobs rack my chest as my shaking hands magnetically reach up to grasp my head. "He…he…"

_A single thick red bullet rockets straight through its face as it chimes for the eighth time. The bells ring chaotically upon impact, crying out in anguish as brick and glass explode into dust._

"Ima—Imani, calm down," she instructs, grasping my quivering shoulders firmly. "_Who's_ here?"

_Golden eyes glow manically. _

Instinctively my fingers curl into my scalp as if they can scrape away the horrid memory replaying over and over in my mind. A wordless loud moan slithers past my lips.

_"I owe you my deepest gratitude."_

No matter how loudly I moan, I can't drown out the deep, smooth voice.

_"You have written well, Kismet Scribe."_

* * *

_He sighs, his lanky arms akimbo as he shakes his head. __"He's gone. I've been searching with Zexion for at least an hour. Even if he is still here he's bound to lie low for a few days. You can come back now."_

* * *

The bed sinks a little as someone—Kairi—sits down and watches me quietly. Behind her, a boy with brown spiky hair takes a seat at a nearby chair while another boy with long silver hair leans against the window. _What's going on?_ all three ask silently. _You freaked us out big time._

I don't want to relive the memory again. I don't want to explain what happened. I don't want to see the image of a group of kids my age watching in horror at the sight. I can't bear to watch Olette cry and cover her face with her hands as she turns away.

"The clock tower was destroyed this morning," I finally murmur, fisting the sheets. "He destroyed it."

The air becomes tense and the three go rigid. "Who?" Sora asks.

I breathe deeply, willing the oncoming shudder to go away. "Xemnas."

None of them gasp in shock or even flinch at the name. There had always been the possibility that this day would come. We just never really thought too deeply into what might happen when the day arrived.

Riku crosses his arms. "He has his heart now?"

_Wide-eyed, I stare up at my bedroom ceiling, the thumps so loud and powerful that I find my own heart adjusting its pace to beat in time. __**B-BMP.**_

My hands slither up to hide my face. "He has such a strong heartbeat. None of the other former Nobodies' heartbeats were as intense when they first returned. I would've gone to meet him, but…"

A cool hand gently takes hold of my wrist and pulls one of my hands down. "But what?"

_**B-BMP B-BMP B-BMP B-BMP—**_

_"Imani?" the crinkled voice in the receiver calls distantly. "Are you still there? Imani?"_

I sigh, turning my head into the pillow. "But I was afraid."

_"Keep...Keep an eye on him...b-but don't approach him. I'll be watching what goes on."_

_"You aren't coming?"_

_The first wave of panic washes over me, drenching me through and leaving me gasping for breath. "Remind Axel that he still hasn't remastered his control over his chakram before he launches himself against Xemnas."_

"So you left to come here?"

"To warn you three." I hoist myself into a sitting position, finally garnering up the courage to look each friend in the eyes. "Xemnas seems to be planning something else...and whatever it is can't be good."

Jade eyes narrow. "Like what?"

_I hang up and throw the phone aside, snatching my jacket and curling my free fingers into my barely-convulsing chest and racing out the door, down the stairs, and into the streets. Immediately a strange pull tugs me backwards in the direction of the crumbling clock tower. I keep running for the sandlot, studying a memory of Roxas summoning up a Dark Corridor to block out the image of rubble raining down onto the courtyard in front of the train station._

"I don't know," I lie, fighting the urge to roll around my tongue against the disgusting aftertaste.

"You don't know?"

"I'm not a mind-reader."

"We have to stop him before he starts anything," Sora decides, leaping off his seat. "Is he still in Twilight Town?"

_The squeaky gates give way to his gentle push and he strides inside, the tall grass swaying to his steps as he nears the front doors of the mansion._

"Yes," I answer reluctantly.

"Alright then." Sora offers a smile and a hand to me. "We should get going."

I stare at his calloused outstretched palm for a moment before shaking my head. "You three won't be going anywhere."

His positive grin dims. "What do you mean? We have to go find Xemnas."

"I just told you where Xemnas is."

"Yeah, so—"

"You three have to stay here, away from him," I swallow thickly, steeling myself for their reactions, "or, at the very least, stay away from me."

"W-What?"

"You have no idea how powerful he is now that he has a heart," I insist, flinching at the quiver in my voice. "The moment he came into being this morning he was capable of wielding his ethereal blades with the same dexterity he had when you defeated him. It's taken days—_weeks_, maybe—for the others to call and handle their weapons at a _basic _level."

"Then we don't have to brace ourselves for unexpected attacks," Sora reasons. "We've fought him before, Imani."

Despite my concern, an exasperated sigh escapes my lips. "I know you have, but that's not the point. Xemnas hasn't tapped into his heart's power to fuel his strength yet. Once he learns how, he'll be even more formidable."

The brunet's shoulders sag. "But…"

"What does that have to do with us staying away from you?" Riku demands. "If we want to defeat Xemnas, we're going to need everyone's strength, including yours."

_"Where are you?"_

My heart pulsates irregularly and steals a silent gasp from my lungs. **B-bmp…b…bmp…**

"Imani? Is something wrong?"

_His lips curve into a smirk. "Where are you, hm?"_

I tear my attention away from my heart and snatch Kairi's wrist, dragging her to her bedroom door. "All of you need to get away as quickly as possible. Go see the king and then go to Hollow Bastion. You need to tell everyone of Xemnas' return."

"B-But Imani—"

"Don't forget to track down Lexaeus and Xaldin while you're in Hollow Bastion." I turn back to drag Riku and Sora to the door. "After that, go to Atlantica and find Demyx—"

"Imani, wait—"

"Axel and Zexion already know since they're in Twilight Town—"

"_Wait_, Imani—"

"There's no time to wait!" I cry. "He's coming here! You need to leave!"

With a frustrated groan, Riku reaches out to me. "Well, then, you're coming with us."

_"Perhaps I should wonder where _they_ are…"_

I step away from his grasp and hold out a hand to my right. A faint shockwave ripples through my arm all the way to my fingertips and the space in front of my hand warps and morphs until an elongated shadow rises from the ground. "Get out of here _now._ Axel knows where everyone else is."

"Ima—"

"I'm _sorry_. I'm so sorry."

Riku's voice calling my name echoes in my ears as I disappear into the shadowy corridor.

* * *

**Author's Afterthought: **What do you think? Please leave a review! Thanks for reading!


	2. Debris

**EDITED 6/28/2010**

**Author's Comments: **Please enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts, its characters, or its story lines (as noted by a *). I own Imani and Aden.

* * *

I step out on all-fours, slightly relieved I ended up far away from his stone castle. No way am I going to let myself drag the pride into this. Razor-sharp claws and fangs can only do so much to protect against Xemnas.

Slowly (and clumsily) I trod towards the small pond of water. As long as I can find food to eat, I should be able to stay here for a week or two. Hopefully that will be enough time to figure out how to stop him.

_He stares out across the vast expanse of azure. "Running away, are we?"_

I swallow the suddenly-salty water too quickly and end up coughing out my drink. He's figured out I've left already?

_"Where could you be?"_

Well, what are the odds he'll think to search here next? This has to be one of the most remote worlds we both know of. He thinks I'm rushing off to inform everyone I know.

_"Perhaps your friends will know where you are."_

Nothing I try to tell myself will make the stickiness sitting in my stomach or the slimy guilt weighing at the back of my head go away. I'm sure Riku and Sora and the rest will forgive me for this in the end, but...

If only you weren't a galaxy or two away, Aden. _  
_

* * *

_"Xemnas is back?" Donald squawks. _

_"And he destroyed the clock tower in Twilight Town?" Goofy cries._

_"And now Imani is missing?" the king finishes._

_Sora nods to all three eagerly. "Right. She ran away right before our eyes without telling us where she was going."_

_"But why?" the queen asks. "Why would she run?"_

_"She wouldn't say." Sora shakes his head sadly._

_Donald punches a fist into the air. "Then we have to go find her and make her tell us!"_

_"But it sounds like she doesn't want to be found," Goofy frowns, his fingers itching his scalp thoughtfully._

_"We're her friends," Donald declares. "She _owes_ us an explanation."_

_The three teens laugh. "We were hoping you'd say that."_

* * *

_Through his one visible eye and the curtain of slate hair hiding his other eye, he spots the back of a red head of hair, its owner leaning against one wall with his arms crossed. He comes to a halt beside him, studying the mountain of debris lying in the once empty courtyard. "What now?"_

_The redhead takes another minute to survey the mess, his sharp green eyes flitting from one jagged block to another. "We wait."_

_"Just wait?"_

_"You got any better ideas? It's not like we can go ask Imani for advice. She could be anywhere."_

_"Why not go out and find her?"_

_"How? The only light portal in the whole town that we know of is now buried beneath _that._" He waves a hand at the courtyard. "I doubt your heart came with a tolerance for doing dirty work."_

_"There must be another way to transport ourselves to different worlds," he sighs, ignoring the jab. "How else would Imani be able to disappear?"_

_"This is _Imani_ we're talking about. She knows how to do _everything._"_

_"She certainly knows how to keep us in the dark."_

_Axel's retort dies on his tongue._

_"What reasons does she have for essentially leaving us stranded here?" Zexion demands._

_His eyebrows inch together. "If there's one thing I've learned about her, it's that she always acts with intention according to her knowledge."_

_Zexion repeats the sentence in his head, bringing a hand to his lips. "Meaning that if she intentionally __left without a trace knowing we don't know of any other safe mean of transportation besides the portal that's now buried, she intends for us not to find her," he deduces in mild defeat._

_Axel heaves a sigh. "So we wait."_

* * *

_She opens the front door and gives a silent gasp. Five companions wearing worried faces and cloaks of haste stand in her doorway. "What a surprise," she says uncertainly. "Is something wrong?"_

_"Has Imani come by at all?" Sora asks for them all._

_She shakes her head. "No, she hasn't. Has something happened to her?"_

_Donald jumps forth and cries, "Xemnas has his heart and he's destroying everything and now Imani's missing and we don't know why!"_

_Her eyes widen with each bit of bad news, a dozen questions pushing against the back of her throat. The fidgeting companions standing before her make her purse her lips and swallow the questions down. "What do you need me to do?" she asks calmly, wiping her face clean of despair._

_"We need you to help us warn everyone about Xemnas," Riku tells her._

_"And to find Imani," Goofy adds._

_She nods. "I'll go to Merlin's. Leon and Cloud should be at the bastion. I believe Lexaeus and Xaldin are there, too."_

_They offer her grateful smiles before turning to dash off. "Thanks, Aerith!"_

* * *

"GYAAAAAAHHHH!"

I jerk awake just in time to find the world spinning chaotically before my eyes as I tumble and land on my back in the grass.

"Good work, Pumbaa!" a voice above me cheers triumphantly. "We've finally captured the rogue!"

"Don't you mean _I _captured the rogue?"

"Yeah, that too."

My temples throb and stars explode against my eyelids. With a groan I pry my eyes open to find a warthog and a meerkat towering over me. "Oi Simba!" the meerkat calls over his shoulder. "Look what we found!"

My heart sinks and I suddenly wish I had transformed into an ant or a bird when I came here—something no one pays much mind to.

Paws crunch against the grass and soon Simba's face appears behind the warthog. "Imani?" he exclaims in shock. "What are you doing here?"

I wave a paw sheepishly as my stomach churns under the warthog. "Um...Hello. Long time no see."

"Wait wait wait wait wait a minute!" The meerkat—_Timon,_ my memory reminds me—leaps off the warthog—_Pumbaa_—and lands soundly on my chest. I vaguely wonder if he can feel my increasing heartbeat. "You two know each other?"

"She's Sora's friend," the lion explains, still puzzled.

At the mention of the name, Timon's indignation melts to numb wonder. "Sora? You mean the kid who fought off the Heartless?" He whips his tiny head to me with his jaw hanging wide open. "And you—you secret spot stealer, you—you're his _friend?_"

Simba waves away Pumbaa and swipes Timon off my chest with one paw. "Sorry about him, Imani. He's just surprised."

"Just because you're on good terms with Simba and Sora doesn't mean you're allowed to just pop out of nowhere and stalk around here without asking!"

"I-I'm sorry," I say as sincerely as I can, rolling over and sitting upright. "I'm really sorry. I just needed a place to stay."

"You could've stayed at Pride Rock with us," Simba says. "How long have you been here?"

Timon points an accusing finger, declaring, "She's been lying here mooching all the goods for a whole week!"

"Oh, give her a break, Timon." Pumbaa offers a smile to me. "She said she was sorry."

"Her first impression is totally turning me off!" he cries, throwing his hands into the air and pacing frantically. "If Sora were here, then _maybe_ I might be more understanding. Where the heck is he, anyway? Why isn't he with you if your his friend?"

_"We'll split up. Riku and the king will go find Leon and Cloud. Me, Donald, and Goofy will look for the two former organization members."_

I flick my tail nervously. "He's somewhere else right now."

_"Keep an eye out for Imani, too."_

"I know you're upset and I'm really, really sorry, but could I—"

"Oh, so _now_ you're asking for permission?" he scoffs, spinning on his heel to face away from me. "The answer is _no_."

"Just for a few more days! Please, Timon?"

His tiny shoulders go rigid and he slowly turns his tiny head to eye me warily. "How'd you know my name?"

Oh great. It's Riku and his bedroom all over again.

Timon wheels around, his nose hovering inches away from mine in a challenging manner. "I'm waiting."

I sigh. This could be the only way he'll let me stay. Taking a moment to rearrange the right words into a short, easier-to-understand explanation, I murmur, "I'm...I'm a memory recorder. My mind naturally records every memory revolving around those connected to Kingdom Hearts. That's how I know your names; you met Sora who was fighting for Kingdom Hearts, so I hold every memory of yours ever since you met him."

Slightly stunned at my explanation, he reaches up to tap his temple skeptically. "Right."

"You don't believe me."

"Of _course _I don't believe you! You've got a kooky imagination to think up some reason like that! Sora could've told you my name and Pumbaa's and whatever else happened! You don't need to exaggerate how highly you think of yourself!"

I almost let my shoulders sink when a particularly funny memory plays in my head. "Sora wasn't around when you fell off a really high tree limb while trying to catch a fat inchworm."

Timon lets his jaw drop. "How'd you—?"

_"Hey, is that…?"_

_Sora peers closely at a figure with billowing silver hair standing on a turret of the bastion. The man's tanned skin provides stark contrast to his goldenrod hawk-like eyes._

A sudden gust of wind whooshes past and the fur on my back rises to stand on-end. **B-bmp.**

_The king's eyes widen in recognition. "Xemnas…"_

_"What?" Riku turns to find the figure atop the castle and narrows his eyes. "It's really him. Imani was right."_

My mind reels at the sight of Xemnas and my friends in the same world, but my heart refuses to keep up with my panic. **B-bmp.**

_"What should we do?" Donald asks a little louder than his companions would've liked. "Should we fight him?"_

_Without glancing away from Xemnas, Sora slowly shakes his head. "No. Imani told us to stay away from him. I think we should trust her on this…"_

**B-bmp.**

_"At least, I think we need to wait until we know more about how dangerous he is before attacking."_

_"Which means we really have to find Imani," Riku concludes. "She knows how powerful—"_

"Hey!" Tiny fingers snap before my eyes. "What's wrong with you? You're zoning out on us."

To my relief, I'm pulled from my memory stream like a swimmer breaking through the surface of the water for air. "_Please_ let me stay here, Timon," I plead again as my heart finally races. "I won't eat more than you'll allow me and I'll let you get the first pick of bugs you want to eat and—"

"Imani, you can stay," Simba laughs. "_Right_, Timon?"

The meerkat heaves a long-suffering sigh, crossing his arms and glaring at the ground. "I _guess_. You kinda scare me, but otherwise you're not bad."

I breathe a sigh of relief. "Thank you—"

"BUT!" He leaps back and points a finger at me. "Since you're a lion, you've gotta do something for me."

"Something like what?" I ask, narrowing my eyes.

"Ooh, what's this?" a smooth, almost oily voice purrs.

"Wah!" Pumbaa cries, scurrying behind Simba. "The hyenas are here!"

Crazed laughter scrapes my ear canals as I catch sight of three hyenas—_Shenzi, Banzai, Ed_—prowling forth coolly.

"You're _back?_" Timon groans once safe on Pumbaa's back. "Why won't you stay in your own territory?"

"Well why not?" the one called Shenzi asks. "It's a free country."

"You're not allowed to be here." Simba growls. "Everything the light touches belongs to me. As king, I order you to—"

"But we're _thirsty_," Banzai complains. "Plus, there's nothing good to eat in the Elephant Graveyard anymore."

"There's nothing to eat here, either," Timon shoots back. "You guys don't eat bugs or plants!"

"Oh ho ho no," Shenzi shakes her head, flicking her yellow eyes to me and licking her lips. "We were thinking of something with more _meat_."

Ed cackles madly and I nearly shiver.

"Hey kid." Timon lands on my back and leans towards my ear, whispering, "You wanna stay here? You're gonna have to fight for it."

* * *

**Author's Afterthought: **Thanks for reading! Please leave a review!


	3. Message

**EDITED 6/28/2010**

**Author's Comments: **Thanks for reading! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts. I own Imani and Aden.

* * *

"HERE, KITTY!"

I moan under my breath. The poky bark digs into my skin as I wrap my limbs tighter around the tree branch.

"YOU CAN'T STAY UP THERE FOREVER!"

I _knew _I should have taken a kitchen knife with me when I ran from Twilight Town. Even that unopened canister of pepper spray from Zexion would've helped right now.

"WHAT'RE YOU DOING?" Timon screams in outrage. "YOU CALL YOURSELF A LION?"

I didn't think being completely weaponless would be a problem until Xemnas got his heart and chased me into hiding away from him _and _my friends.

"Imani!" Simba calls below me, prowling back and forth protectively in front of the tree I'm in to ward off the hyenas. "I can hold them off for a little while. Go with Pumbaa and Timon to Pride Rock and stay with the lionesses until I get back!"

Another moan and I stuff down the urge to bang my head against the branch. I can't outrun hyenas—I can barely walk with four feet.

His mane cascades in a wave over one shoulder as he glances up to me. "_Go_, Imani!"

"Do what he says!" Shenzi laughs. "The chase will be fun!"

I flip through the pages of my memories, flicking my tail agitatedly. Have any of the Organization members called up Dark Corridors in _midair?_

"My respect for you has dropped to nil, kid!" Timon announces.

Tentatively, I uncurl an arm and hold out a paw to the open space before me. Energy ripples through my veins to the tips of my talons and a rift in the space squirms.

"Are ya giving up, squirt?" Banzai hoots.

The blue sky warps and a black shadow big enough to swallow me tears into the expanse. Slowly I inchworm my way to the end of branch...

**CRACK!**

My stomach lurches as the branch snaps right behind me. I watch in horror as the Dark Corridor quickly rises above me before my face smashes into the thick trunk, stunning my senses—

_Don't let go!_

I hug the hanging branch for dear life. My head spins madly as I teeter back and forth on the few fibers connecting the branch to the tree. Shrill laughter rings in my ears.

"Imani!"

"Kid, are you _crazy?_"

With a slight shake to clear my head, I let a paw hang, sending energy through my arm and ripping a rift of darkness right above Simba. I have to get out of here.

"Imani?" Simba and the hyenas back away wide-eyed. "What are you doing?"

"Thanks for everything," I groan with a crooked smile before letting go and free-falling into the darkness.

Slight pressure slides against my body as my body transforms back into that of a girl. My sore legs tread through the tangible space towards the other side of the corridor. I stumble a few times when my foot dips lower than I intend for it to and I find that I'm glad I didn't really need to travel this way when I was a Nobody.

The smell of oil and incense permeates the air when I exit the corridor, but the loud chatter slices through it all easier than a knife through butter. Rubbish tattooed with strange characters litters the dimly lit alleyway I ended up in. The walls of the buildings are painted in the grime customary of a bustling city full of people too busy to bother cleaning it.

With a hiss of disgust I realize I left Twilight Town weaponless _and_ barefoot_._ I step gingerly around the rubbish to the end of the alley where the street is. People with beady eyes and black hair tied back in buns and braids mingle at the food and product vendors lining the road. If I look further up the street, I can see the intricate tiled rooftop of the imperial palace.

Hopefully here I can blend in without worrying about anyone recognizing me. I_ kind _of look Chinese, right?

I glance down and grimace at my appearance: a black t-shirt, my usual jacket with the rolled-up sleeves, a pair of gray sweatpants, and no shoes. No one might recognize me, but I'll still draw attention to myself with this getup. I need to find a disguise…without any munny.

This is what I get for rushing off to Destiny Islands without thinking. I can almost hear Zexion chiding me for hanging up on him.

Retreating a little further back into the alley, I shrug off my jacket and ball it up, tucking it under one arm. I'll have to _steal_ a new disguise, no matter how heavy the guilt will weigh.

I creep back to the street once more, scanning my eyes over the goods of each vendor until I find a slightly worn-down rucksack hanging from a pole. Not too far from the rucksack sits a slightly crumpled set of drab-colored robes that might just fit me. A vendor further down has placed pairs of simple black shoes on bamboo mats in front.

Deciding that the robes are first priority, I breathe deeply, count to three, and quickly stride into the crowd, weaving between people to get to the other side of the street. Without stopping I snatch the pile of clothes and dash into another alleyway. Immediately my stomach churns and my neck bends to hang my head in shame.

The moment I reach the end wall I throw on the robes, stuffing my makeshift pajamas with my jacket and scurrying back to the street. My heart thumps with adrenaline at the rush of stealing without getting caught. Just as I tie the sashes around my waist, I hone in on my next target: the rucksack.

I count to three and immerse myself among the townspeople again, this time moving with the flow to reach the rucksack vendor. My fingers itch as I near the vendor and reach up—

_"Yuffie! Answer the door already!"_

_"I'm busy!" the ninja retorts despite jogging to the door anyway._

I freeze mid-reach next to the vendor, the drawstrings of the rucksack tickling my fingertips. Passers bump my shoulders as they go on their way down the road.

Don't answer the door. _Don't_ answer the door.

_"Merlin, did you forget your keys again?" Yuffie asks exasperatedly as she swings the door open. Once she catches sight of the visitor, she glares and crouches in a battle stance. "Who are _you?_"_

_The visitor smiles, his eyes hidden by the hood of his coat. "I'm searching for someone named Maxiin."_

He still won't use my Somebody name.

_"Maxiin? Don't you mean Imani?"_

_His smirk only widens. "Different name, same fate."*_

_She shakes her head dismissively. "We don't know where she is. No one does."_

_"Interesting," the visitor comments easily. "I suppose I'll just have to leave a message."_

_A vortex of dark miasma swirls around him and he vanishes into thin air, leaving Yuffie to glare at open space._

"HEY! What do you think you're doing?"

The drawstrings jump violently as I refocus on my surroundings and the task at hand.

"You." The slim vendor owner points a bony finger at me. "You better be paying for that."

I offer a stiff smile, curling my fingers into my palm and lowering my hand.

_The hooded visitor suddenly reappears in the middle square, hovering a few inches above the stone ground and holding his arms out to either side of him. Red light gathers in his palms, steadily growing into big, bright globes._

**B-bmp.**

Instantly my smile drops.

_Throwing his head back, he releases the red globes from his hands and knocks back his hood. The light shatters into hundreds of pieces upon release and slams into the little shops and the raised walkways. The buildings crumble and even collapse at the many powerful impacts, trapping the shopkeepers and customers._

**B-bmp.**

I shake my head fervently as my lungs tighten up. This can't be happening.**  
**

_Clouds of dust rise from the rubble. Screams of agony fill the air. The visitor lets his eyes roam around the square with satisfaction._

_"Hear me, Kismet Scribe," he declares to the sky. "You cannot run. You will submit to destiny, one way or another."_

**B-bmp.**

This _can't_ be happening.

_"What was that?" Goofy cries, his floppy ears whipping him in the face as he turns towards the booming noises of the buildings collapsing. "What's going on?"_

A shriek rips into my ears. "Someone! That girl stole my robes!"

I whip my head towards the voice and find an elderly woman pointing a finger directly at me, her eyes narrowed to angry slits.

_"I don't know, but I have a feeling Xemnas is involved," Riku mutters bitterly. "You still think we should keep away from him, Sora?" _

"Someone!" she yells. "Someone! Seize her!"

Without a moment to waste, I tear down the rucksack from the pole it hung on and dash back into the alley, praying I won't find myself at a—

"No!" I curse under my breath, skidding to a halt. A dead end.

_Sora bites his lip. "Someone might have gotten hurt there…"_

_"Let's help them." The king unsheathes his keyblade with a swipe of his arm. "We'll keep our distance from Xemnas for now."_

"Stop, thief!"

Thank goodness the buildings here aren't tall.

I quickly crouch down, grasping my clothes and the rucksack tighter, and leap up onto the roof. Once my feet hit the tiles, I run and jump from rooftop to rooftop to escape my pursuers.

_"No one is invincible to destiny," Xemnas shouts, "not even the one who writes it."_

* * *

**Author's Afterthought: **Short, huh? Shorter than the last chapter, at least. Thank you for reading and please leave a review!


	4. Gamble

**EDITED 6/28/2010**

**Author's Comments: **Hope you enjoy reading this installment!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts. I own Imani and Aden.

* * *

_Tifa sighs, placing her hands on her hips as she surveys the aftermath of Xemnas' warning. "You still have to find Imani's other friends, right? You should go then," she tells Sora who stands next to her with a worried frown. "We can take care of this."_

_His eyebrows draw closer together. "We didn't even find everyone living here."_

_"I'll find them for you. Right now, I really think you should focus on finding Imani. You can search for her friends at the same time, but…"_

_Riku joins them on the other side of Sora, dusting off his hands. "But?"_

_Pearly white teeth bite down on her lip as she takes a moment to figure out how to word her uncertainty. "I just think Imani's the one who needs you the most."_

_Both boys glance at Tifa, their eyes darkened by the gravity of her confession. _

_"When Aerith came to me earlier after meeting you, she said she sensed something strange about Imani," Tifa murmurs, "like something was _wrong_ with her."_

_"Wrong how?" Sora asks._

_She shakes her head. "Like she's…_keeping_ something…"_

_The boys hum to themselves thoughtfully. "Aerith's intuition's never been off." Riku crosses his arms. "Imani told us to stay away from her but she never said why. I kind of have to wonder__…"_

_"Well even if she isn't," Tifa steps in front of them, placing a hand on either boy's shoulder, "you've got to find her."_

* * *

Hunger claws at my stomach. All I can think about is the smell of dinner wafting in the cool night air from all the homes below me. I was never fond of Chinese food, but I can't bear to hear my bowels grumble again.

One question has been eating—ugh, _eating_—at my brain for the past four hours: How can I earn munny?

I could use my Hades-given invincibility and become a street performer. I could challenge the burliest men in town to try bruise, cut, or even kill me and all they'd be able to do is make me laugh with their tickling...but I'd draw too much attention.

My lips sink into a frown. How can I earn munny without blatantly proclaiming, 'I'm the one the guy who shoots red lasers to destroy everything is looking for'?

No matter what, I have to move to a different world. The whole city probably saw me scale that ten-foot wall. If anything, by tomorrow morning, the streets will be covered with palace guards seeking to place me in the imperial army as a secret weapon in case of any wars with other nations and I'll be trapped and Xemnas will find me eventually—

_Stop!_ I jerk my head. _Stop letting your hunger make you delirious!_

My fingers massage my closed eyes. I'll draw attention if I want to get some spare change in my pocket. Going back to Twilight Town to snatch my coin purse would only end in Axel or Zexion cornering me and demanding answers. With a hopeless sigh I pull out my jacket and shrug it back on, the sleeves of my robes riding up my arms as I tug it on.

I stop mid-tug. What if I sold these robes?

A grimace twists my mouth as I inspect the thin material. They're cheaply-made and the colors aren't at all eye-catching. Even if I went to another world I doubt I'd get more than a hundred munny for this.

What if I _gambled_ with these robes?

_A blond-haired man with multiple piercings in his ears tosses a hand of cards onto the old wooden table with a flourish. "Royal flush," he announces, earning collective groans as he gathers the bids. "I win again, lads."_

I groan aloud with the losers. The other gamblers may be too drunk to remember my face the next morning, but there's no way Luxord wouldn't recognize me. He'll wonder what I'm doing in Port Royal in the first place and why I'm gambling...but I don't have any better plans at the moment.

I stand up on the roof and open up a Dark Corridor. It would be nice if someone decides to bid their shoes.

* * *

Once I change back into my former clothes, I fold the robes (save the sash which I secure around my head to cover the lower half of my face and tie up my hair) as neatly as I can while hiding the smudges of dirt I'd gained when running away. I stow the robes in my rucksack and step lightly down the stairs of the rampart towards the town.

Even before I cross the bridge the stench of alcohol and sweat and who knows what else almost makes me turn around and reconsider this desperate plan. As I get closer the air becomes thicker with the ghastly fumes and though my temporary mask blocks out a lot of the smell, I purse my lips together to keep from openly gagging. Maybe it's a good thing I haven't eaten for hours—

I jump out of the way as a drunken man stumbles over himself and throws up into the bushes. Suddenly the ground beneath me feels like it's crawling. I start hopping along the ground to the nearest gambling house, thoughts of germs and disgusting substances on my feet nearly making me whimper.

The first bar I find—the Empty Bottle—booms with noise as I step in. Both stories of the building are crammed with people looking to drink away their troubles or try their luck at the cards. Several tables surrounded by gamblers litter the room. They all appear the same so I make my way towards the closest table.

As the men laugh and curse at the outcome of the round, I clear my throat loudly and stretch my vocal chords as low as I can. "Mind if I join?"

The noise ceases. All heads turn to me, menacing glares looking me up and down. "You?" a man snickers. "What do you have that's worth gambling?"

Resisting the urge to swallow nervously, I tug open my rucksack. "Robes from a far-off land." I display with a flourish. "They're made of the finest, most expensive material."

"Rags, you mean?" They burst out in chuckles.

Don't glare. Don't growl. "You're welcome to feel them if you like. They're silkier than anything you've ever worn, I'm sure."

As if to amuse me, the nearest man reaches out and runs his fingertips across. His eyes light up and he arches an eyebrow. "Not bad. Are you willing to risk losing this? A girl like you thinks you can take us on?"

The words slip out in retaliation and I'm glad my clothes are genderless. "I'm not a girl, if that makes any difference to you."

A stunned moment passes before they laugh their heads off. "We got ourselves a cross-dressing girly man!" they sneer.

I'm tired. I'm hungry. I'm broke. My feet are covered in all sorts of crap. I _think_ I'm justified when I say this is the last straw.

I allow myself to laugh stiffly along with them before I grab the back of a man's head and slam it into the wooden table, snatching both his wrists and holding them behind his back with my other hand. "Still think I'm a girl?" I hiss in his ear, reveling in his grunt of pain.

The remaining men pull out daggers and guns, pointing them all at me. I eye them easily.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," I warn. "If you start something, who's more likely to get kicked out: you drunkards who can't tell left from right or an innocent little _girl, _hm?"

"What's going on there?" the bartender shouts across the room. My skin tingles as several pairs of eyes land on our table.

I grin smugly beneath my sash. "I just wanna _play_, guys. What? Afraid you'll lose?"

Reluctantly they store away their weapons and plaster grins to their grimy faces. "Nothing's wrong!" a man shouts to the bartender. "What's everyone looking at?"

* * *

"Two pair."

"Flush."

I throw my cards down triumphantly. "Full house."

Groans burst out as I scoop my spoils towards my side of the table. Two hours since I started playing, I've won a couple of nice daggers, three revolvers, and enough munny to buy several months' worth of food. My head spins off my winning streak.

"I'm out." A few more drunks pull out, dragging their feet to the door and leaning on each other for support.

"Oh come on!" I call as they stumble out the door. "Is the challenge too much for you?"

"I'd like to challenge you."

A jolt of dread snaps my high. I steel my nerves and set my face in stone before turning to Luxord. "Hmm…" I bring a hand to my lips in feigned thoughtfulness as I eye him up and down as if to size up my opponent. "You look like you can stand a chance against me."

His simple cotton shirt ripples with his chuckles. "You're a cocky one."

"Cocky? No. Confident? Well, I've got reason to be."

That reason—my anonymity—is rapidly slipping through my fingers and shattering into a million pieces on the floor.

He quirks an eyebrow. "Are you confident enough to bet everything in one hand?"

"Why do that?" I ask to cover up my panic and the stickiness returning to my stomach. "You strike me more as the type to exert his finesse nice and slow."

Luxord shrugs offhandedly. "In this case, I feel such habits would be a waste of time. You understand, don't you?"

I grind my teeth. Damn.

"I just want to _play_," he smirks. "What? Afraid you'll lose?"

_Damn_.

"Fine," I decide in a final attempt to be deceptive. "One round, starting bets at ten-thousand munny."

He nods approvingly and takes a seat, turning to a bystander. "You there. Deal for us."

The bystander grabs the deck, shuffling silently and dealing five to each of us. After studying my hand, I pick out two cards and replace them with whatever the bystander gives me.

I curl my toes in my effort to not let my eyes light up. Ten, jack, queen, king, ace in diamonds.

I nibble on the tip of my tongue, glancing up at my lone challenger whose face is painted completely blank. Reaching into my rucksack, I pull out a random dagger and add it to the spoils. "Something on your mind, sir?"

"Let's change the stakes," Luxord declares.

Uh-oh. "To what?"

"Instead of munny or possessions," he grins, "let's bet with _secrets._"

_Don't flinch! Don't you dare flinch, Imani!_

"Secrets?" I scoff. "You assume I hold secrets worth betting?"

"Everyone holds a secret worth betting," he insists. "It's a matter of whether one is brave enough to risk it and cunning enough to keep it under wraps even while it sits in the open."

Asking to not bet with secrets at this point would cause suspicion and draw more attention to myself. A sense of doom clouds my head as I ask, "What secret must I bet with, then?"

"If I win, you must reveal what reasons you have for hiding half your face. If you win, I'll reveal my origins."

The statement earns a hush of interest. Luxord—and many of the other former Organization members—has divulged little to nothing about their pasts and how they came to exist again.

I've got a winning hand. I've made more munny than Axel's and Zexion's monthly paychecks combined. I'll escape the interrogation for sure. What have I got to lose?

"Deal." I throw my cards down, ignoring my uneasy gut. "Royal flush."

His eyes narrow and he smirks at the sight of my hand. He tosses his hand to the table. Ten, jack, queen, king, ace…in spades. "Royal flush."

My heart hits the pit of my sticky stomach with a sound thud. _Damn_.

* * *

**Author's Afterthought: **Thanks for reading! Please leave a review!


	5. Scenes

**EDITED 6/28/2010**

**Author's Comments: **So to clear things up, when I say "consistent," I mean "whenever I have time to upload." Thanks for waiting for this fifth installment! Hope you enjoy reading!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts. I own Imani and Aden.

* * *

I tear off the sash, letting my hair fall to my shoulders. "Cause a scene, why don't you?"

"You brought it upon yourself," he chuckles, going around his inn room and lighting the lanterns with a flickering match. "From the moment you walked up to that table you had this coming."

I tiptoe to the bathroom and twist the knob of the rust-covered sink. "If you hadn't come by I would've gotten away with winning everything."

"Understandable of you to think that way. You learned from the best."

I roll my eyes, setting a bucket underneath the running stream of water. Even with his heart he's arrogant.

"Talk." He appears in the doorway of the bathroom, leaning against the frame and crossing his arms. "Don't leave a single detail out."

I shut the water off and lift the heavy bucket to the ground. "I wanted to gamble," I lie uncomfortably, grabbing a rag and scrubbing my feet.

"You don't gamble. Not without a purpose."

"Ever heard of trying new things?"

"Right. So because you have conquered your darkness and paved a path for Nobodies of Organization XIII to find their hearts, you decide to spend your newly-acquired free time _trying new things_ that can lead to addictive behaviors and—"

"Fine!" With an exasperated sigh I throw the rag into the bucket, sending droplets of water all over the floor. "I was broke, okay?"

An amused glint sparks in his blue eyes. "And why were you broke?"

Loud clangs of the Twilight Town clock tower bells ring in my head. I snatch the rag and start scrubbing my other foot clean until it burns away the image and the noise.

Luxord's boots thud against the tiles as he enters the bathroom further. He crouches next to me, grabbing my wrist to still my hand. "Imani, what is going on?"

The rag slips through my fingers into the water. "He's back. Xemnas got his heart."

He sits in silent shock for a moment. "And you vouched for gambling until your pockets sagged over searching to find me and tell me this news?"

"I was planning on Sora and the others coming to tell you after I left."

"You aren't traveling with them? Are you searching for Xemnas on your own?"

I laugh bitterly. "S-Searching for—? Are you _crazy?_ That's like…"

"Like what?"

_**B-bmp…**_

_Like suicide._

"I have to go." I stand abruptly, moving to grab my rucksack and open a portal. "Thanks for letting me wash my feet."

"Where are you—?"

* * *

_"YOU!"_

_He plucks the wrong string and flinches at the yell. His blue eyes, wide with alarm, dart to the source of the noise. A white duck clad in blue stands at the entrance of the café with his finger pointed at him. _

_"Hey, it's you!" Demyx cries, nearly dropping his guitar as he gets off his stool._

_"We've been looking for you!" Donald scurries between the tables to meet Demyx and almost bumps into the waitress on the way. _

_"Whoa, chill out, man." He sets down the guitar and crouches to Donald's level. "You're causing a scene. What's wrong with you?"_

_Donald squawks nonsense, arms flailing and spit flying into his face. Over the duck's head Demyx notices the few café diners eye them suspiciously. _

_"Dude, I can't understand a thing you're saying," Demyx sighs, wiping his face. He takes a hold of one of Donald's arms and begins dragging him to the exit. "Let's take this outside, okay?"_

_Donald doesn't protest being dragged but the squawking seems to grow louder. Demyx suppresses the urge to stuff a finger into one ear as he strides into the sunny street. _

_"Hey!" another familiar voice calls. A brown spiky-haired boy—Rox…no, Sora—jogs up to them. "Demyx, right?"_

_"You mind translating him for me?" He points to the irate duck._

_Donald falls silent with an angry "hmph" and a defiant stomp._

_"He's trying to tell you that Xemnas is back," Sora explains, allowing a small chuckle at the duck's behavior. _

_"The Sup—Xemnas has his heart? Wow. O-Okay."_

_Once he comes close enough, Demyx can see the concern coloring Sora's blue eyes. It sends a spark of fear through his spine. "What?" he asks, quirking an eyebrow. "Something wrong?"_

_His newly acquired heart stops when Sora mutters darkly, "Imani's missing."_

* * *

_He whisks away, the batter almost splattering outside the bowl. "Anything?"_

_"Xemnas' mind cannot be bound into a simple book." Zexion sighs, leaning against the tiled kitchen wall he'd just finished wiping down. "All the records are outdated, anyway."_

_"Nothing even about Ansem or Xehanort?"_

_"Both are dead-ends."_

_Axel growls under his breath, tapping the batter off the whisk before tossing the utensil into the sink. "I almost wanna try calling a Dark Corridor."_

_"Our hearts aren't strong enough yet," Zexion reminds him. "Besides, waiting was _your_ idea."_

_"I know." He switches on the tabletop machine he _finally_ got around to buying, leaning against the counter to wait for it to heat up. "Even if we could get outta here, it's not like we know where she is." _

_"Tuna melt and fries!" a waitress calls._

_"Jeez. Another one?" He rubs the back of his neck, trudging over to the fridge. "Watch that, will ya? Make sure it's getting hot."_

_He leans forward slightly, his periwinkle hair close enough to touch the steel plates encasing the iron. "Why did you turn this on? No one ordered miniature waffles."_

_Axel tugs open the fridge, shooting Zexion a grin before diving to find the tuna. "If we can't get to her, might as well try getting her to come back."_

* * *

I roll over in my bed with a frustrated growl. I can taste the strawberries and the cream in my mouth! Damn you, Axel.

_"Just come back, then,"_ is what he'd probably say. _"Stop making things so difficult for everyone else."_

As much as I love Axel's miniature waffles covered with strawberries and whipped cream (they taste _exactly_ like Aden's, I swear), I can't place my stomach over their safety.

The candle next to my bed flickers playfully. _"You know you want to eat them."_

"Shut up," I grumble, blowing the flame out.

* * *

_Riku grabs a random pebble from the ground and throws it as far as he can from his seat on the cliff. "Now what do we do?"_

_Sora bites his lip, staring out at the endless ocean and dangling his legs over the edge. "She said Axel would know where the other Organization members are."_

_"But do we really have to go to Twilight Town to ask?" He lobs another pebble. "Would they even tell us?"_

_"Maybe they know why she's acting so strange. She's pretty close to Axel."_

_"She's close to us, too. If she didn't tell _us_ anything, I doubt she told _him_ anything, either."_

_"But he's got closer ties to Xemnas." Sora fingers the zipper on the side of his pants leg. "Maybe _instinctively_ he has an idea of what's happening with her."_

_Riku brings his hand back behind his head, the energy building up in his arm muscles before he releases. "But does he trust us?"_

_"I don't know." He turns to his silver-haired friend who's winding his arm back for a particularly powerful throw. "But he trusts Imani, and Imani trusts us."_

_His arm halts and he mulls over Sora's words. With a sigh he tosses the pebble carelessly into the waves below, his arm slapping against his leg reluctantly. "Going to see them _is_ the only lead we've got right now."_

_Sora shrugs. "It's _something_."_

* * *

_The glass bottle in her hands feels cool against her sweaty skin. Tifa grips it tighter, taking a deep breath before knocking on the bedroom door. "Cloud?"_

_"Yeah?"_

_She jumps at his voice. "Can I come in?"_

_A pause. "Yeah."_

_One hand lets go of the bottle to carefully open the door. Overcast skies throw dull light into the room through the dusty window he never bothered to clean. Cloud's back faces her, his spiky head bobbing and swaying slightly as he packs his bag with potion vials and bundles of bandages. _

_"Got everything you need?" she asks, her lighthearted voice betraying her unease._

_Cloud hums his confirmation, stuffing his drawstring bag of rings and ointments into the backpack._

_"Leon's waiting until tomorrow to head out," she goes on, stepping closer to him. "Are you sure you don't want to rest up tonight before you go?"_

_He doesn't answer. _

_She sighs, glancing down at the bottle in her hands one last time before thrusting it out in front of his face. _

_He stares at the bottle for a second or two. "I don't need this."_

_Unrelenting, she shoves it a little closer to him. "You never know." _

_"I've got plenty of potions already."_

_"You might not get time to use only potions to replenish all your strength."_

_Cloud shakes his head, placing a hand on her arm to push it from him. "I'll be fine."_

_"Imani might not be."_

_He freezes._

_"If you don't plan to use this, at least take it for her." Grabbing his wrist, she slaps the bottle into his gloved hand and closes his fingers over it. _

_As her hands slip away, he lifts the bottle to study it in the light. "For Imani, then."

* * *

_

**Author's Afterthought: **Please leave a review! Thank you for reading!


	6. Run

**EDITED 6/28/2010**

**Author's Comments:** Hope you enjoy reading!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts. I own Imani and Aden.

* * *

_"Maxiin…"_

I jolt awake, blinking away the blurriness of my sleep and throwing off the covers.

_"Don't get yourself killed!" Yuffie calls from the doorstep._

_ Under his dark bangs, Leon rolls his eyes silently. "If I see him, I'll pass the message on to Cloud."_

The candle next to my bed ignites with a flick of my finger and a little fire magic. Hastily I shove my feet into my new shoes and shrug on my jacket, jamming my toes and stubbing my fingers.

_He extends a hand, beckoning the shadows to flare out as he steps in._

I swing the door open as quietly as I can. The shoes I bought are a little too big on my feet, but thankfully they don't make much noise as I step down the stairs and to the front desk. I reach over to snatch a pen and a notepad, scribbling a memo to the sleeping receptionist. After glancing over the note a few times, I shoulder my somewhat-lighter rucksack and exit the building.

_"I'll find you."_

A shiver runs up my spine but I force my feet to start walking straight for the light portal.

_Leon gives a one-handed wave, stepping into the portal and dissipating before their eyes—_

—and solidifying before mine.

With a gasp, I scurry to hide in an alleyway, daring only to crane my head around the edge of the building. In moments he steps out, his Gunblade gleaming in the dim light from the streetlamps.

_Damn,_ I curse under my breath. _I didn't act quickly enough. If I don't get to another world soon, he'll—_

_ "Kismet Scribe."_

Miasma explodes in the street not twenty feet away from me.

**B-BMP.**

Shockwaves rip through my veins, seizing the breath from my lungs and forcing me to lean against the wall to remain upright. A magnetic pull starts to haul me towards the dark corridor. My hair sticks to my sweaty neck uncomfortably. My chest _hurts_…

**B-BMP.**

Out from the dark haze steps the former leader of Organization XIII. His eyes light up at the sight of me struggling to back away and breathe normally.

**B-BMP. B-BMP. B-BMP.**

"Here you are," he purrs with a smirk.

"X-Xemnas," I grit out, clawing at my heart and helplessly gripping a shallow ridge between bricks on the wall to halt my sliding feet.

"Imani!"

I flit my eyes past Xemnas and find Leon sprinting towards us, his Gunblade poised.

**B-BMP B-BMP B-BMP B-BMP—**

"Stay back!" I plead in a strangled cry. "Stop!"

He swings at Xemnas who easily jumps out of the way. Red light begins to gather in Xemnas' palms as he hovers in midair. "Resisting destiny is unwise, Maxiin," he crows. "You know that."

**B-BMP B-BMP B-BMP B-BMP B-BMP B-BMP—**

I squeeze my eyes shut as a gunshot rings throughout the empty street. My sweaty fingertips slip against the cement and my legs fly out behind me, sending me crashing into Leon's back.

"What's going on, Imani?" he demands, shooting his gun in rapid fire.

**B-BMP B-BMP B-BMP B-BMP B-BMP—**

Xemnas releases the lasers from his hands and sends them flying in our direction. Leon wraps an arm around my shoulders and dodge-rolls the both of us out of the way. "Answer me, Imani!"

The strings of my rucksack dig into my palm. I shake my head and grip my wrists around his waist, praying the pull won't suck us both towards Xemnas. "Get us out of here!"

The red projectiles give him little time to argue. Sliding my locked arms up to his neck, he hooks one arm under my knees and the other around my back, gripping his Gunblade with one hand and bolting for the light portal.

**B-BMP B-BMP B-BMP B-BMP—**

"Escaping again, Kismet Scribe?" Xemnas cackles. "I don't think so!"

**B-BMPB-BMPB-BMPB-BMPB-BMPB-BMPB-BMPB-BMP—**

"Run!" I shout into his shoulder.

"Something's pulling me back!" he bellows.

**BMPBMPBMPBMPBMPBMPBMPBMPBMP—**

"YOU HAVE TO KEEP RUNNING, LEON!"

With more fervor his feet pound the cobblestone. Light seeps into my vision through my eyelids and my aching body tingles. Xemnas' laughter fades out.

**BMPBMPBMPBmpbmp B-bmp B-bmp…**

"Leon!"

"What the—? Leon?"

He lets his Gunblade fall to the floor with a clatter. "Where's Aerith?"

Gasping madly, I pry one eye open and my slowing heart sinks. My eyes rove over the piles of books and the screens of Cid's large computer. "You brought us _here?_" I moan.

"Where _else_ was I supposed to bring you?" he growls. "Yuffie, get Aerith."

The rucksack slips from my limp hand, hitting the floor heavily. "Put me down."

Leon hesitates, his fingers twitching against my back and my knees.

"_Hurry up!_" I bark, glaring up at him.

Reluctantly he lowers me to my feet, his arms hovering around me as I wobble towards the light portal. "Where are you going?"

"Away from here," I snarl, my voice wavering.

"Whoa there, little missy." Cid waves his hands. "You're not stable enough—"

"I'm _fine,_" I snap, batting away Leon's arms. "Let me go."

He grabs my arms and holds them behind my back, pulling me away from the portal. "You're not going anywhere until you explain what's going on."

_An easy smirk as he flexes his fingers. "Where could you be now, hm?"_

"Let. Me. GO!" I scream, wriggling desperately. "I HAVE to get away from here!"

"Why did you just disappear without a word to anyone?"

"He's going to find me!"

"What are you trying to do? Why won't you let us help?"

"HE'LL FIND ME AND HE'LL DESTROY EVERYTHING AND HE'LL HURT YOU!"

"Imani?"

His grip slackens as he turns to find Aerith and Yuffie panting at the doorway. I use the chance to slip from his grasp, swing an arm around, and punch him in the jaw. My leg follows through with a roundhouse kick to his abdomen, knocking him to the side.

Aerith and Yuffie cry in shock. "What're you doing?" Yuffie screams.

Guilt crashes down on my head as I dash for the portal with a hand clutching the area of shirt directly over my heart. "I'm sorry," I moan, the astonished faces and the study blending into a huge blur.

* * *

_"Her heart…"_

_ All three turn to Leon who's slowly standing back up, clutching his side and his jaw. "What about her heart?" Cid prompts expectantly._

_ "I felt it beat frantically," he mutters slowly. "It was almost like she was having a heart attack."_

_ "Is she sick?" Aerith wonders aloud. "Is that why she's running away?"_

_ Leon shakes his head. "When I was trying to run with Imani to the portal, I felt this strong tug pulling me back to Xemnas. It felt like Xemnas had some sort of _control_ over her. He said something about her resisting destiny."_

_ "Resisting destiny?" Yuffie scrunches her face in confusion. "But Imani _writes_ destiny! Why would she try to resist it if she wrote it?"_

_ "Maybe she didn't write this particular part," Aerith muses. "Maybe this is happening against her will and she doesn't know what to do to stop it."_

_ "So she runs," Leon sighs, running a hand through his hair and picking up his Gunblade. "She's running away from some sort of fate that's set against her."_

_ Aerith taps her chin thoughtfully, tilting her head. "But what is that fate? And what does Xemnas have to do with it?"_

_ "Seems like only Imani knows the answers." Cid groans. "And now she's gone missing _again._"_

_ Gripping the handle of his Gunblade determinedly, Leon strides to the portal. "Not if I have anything to say about it."_

* * *

_The diner entrance slams open, the tiny bell ringing hysterically as Sora whips his head around for a fiery redheaded man with tattoos under his eyes. It doesn't take very long to find him._

_ "Well, well, well. This is unexpected." _

_ "Where's Imani?" Sora stomps to the counter and slams his palms down. "What's going on? Why is she so worried about Xemnas?"_

_ "So you heard about him?" Axel smirks ruefully. "Wish I could tell you I have answers, kid, bu-u-u-u-t…" He sets down the glass he'd been cleaning with a shrug. "I don't."_

_ "Imani didn't tell you anything?" he groans. "Not even—"_

_ "She told us to watch for Xemnas but not to attack him," he cuts him off. "That's all."_

_ Sora slumps down onto a stool in defeat. "She told _us_ to warn everyone that he has his heart and to avoid him at all costs."_

_ He hums absentmindedly, setting the glass back on a shelf. "Did she tell you where everyone is?"_

_ "No. She said you knew."_

_ "Which is why you're here…partially."_

_ Suddenly his eyes light up and he looks to Axel earnestly. "What about Xemnas? Do you know what he's planning?"_

_ "Zexion and I have been trying to figure that out for the past two weeks. We've got nothing."_

_ He slumps again, resting his head on his hands. "She seems to be the only one who knows everything and she's avoiding everyone…It's like she's keeping everything to herself."_

_ "And why would she want to do that?" he asks, picking up another glass and rubbing it clean. "Why would she purposefully keep us in the dark?"_

_ "Tifa said she thinks something's _wrong_ with Imani," Sora scruffs the back of his head in mild frustration, "and Riku thinks she's _hiding_ something." _

_ Axel glances up, shadows clouding away the lightheartedness in his eyes. "What's she trying to hide?"_

_ One shoulder begins to shrug but suddenly he stops, his eyes widening. "Her insecurity…"_

_ "Her insecurity? You think she's insecure?" Axel barks a laugh. "Why would she be insecure about what she knows?"_

_ "Or maybe it's because she _doesn't_ know something, she's unsure of what to do," Sora suggests, pointing his finger to the ceiling. "It's possible."_

_ He doesn't respond, taking in the words one at a time._

_ "We have to find her." The boy's eyes roam the ceiling obscurely. "Did you hear that, Imani? We're going to find you, whether you want to be found or not."_

_ Despite his unease and the heavy possibilities Sora's come up with, Axel smirks.

* * *

_

A pang of despair clenches my chest. My hand reaches up to touch it, my movement strangely slower and more deliberate. I pry open one eye and see coral in fluorescent colors and algae in many shades of green and red floating everywhere. The lighting is much dimmer than I anticipated.

I let out a breath in bubbles, glancing down at my scaly purple fish tail. _Great. I have to learn how to move normally all over again. _

Experimentally I flex my abs to lift my lower half. My tail is _heavy_.

"GAH!"

I turn to the cry but only find a flurry of bubbles leading to a nearby tuft of seaweed. As the stalks sway, I can make out a pair of fearful eyes and glimpse bright yellow and electric blue.

_Flounder?_

I glance away, pretending I didn't see him. Ariel's fish friend knows Sora; it'd be best if I made as little contact with him as possible. I push up on my hands and peer over the edge of the giant shell I'm lying in. There's a seven-foot drop, but there aren't any jagged rocks or coral to worry about just in case I fall.

I bite my lip. How do those mermaids do it? Sora didn't seem to have a problem doing that after less than half an hour, so maybe I can get the hang of it quickly.

I glance back at my tail. _Or maybe not…but I'll never know until I try._

The salt water rushes down my throat and into my lungs as I breathe in deeply before slowly slipping over the side of the shell. Once my tail slips over, I start to wave it. Up, down, up…down…up—

"Ouch!" I scrape the sandy floor roughly, my tail falling heavily behind me. A cloud of sand rises up around me and I cough and hack harshly.

Well _that _was embarrassing.

"A-A-Are you okay?"

Prying my eyes open and waving the sand away, I spot Flounder swim to my side hesitantly. I turn away to hide my face. "I'm fine. I just…I'm fine."

"A-Are you hurt?" He swirls over to try and meet my eyes. "Is that why you can't swim well?"

"No, I'm fine," I say again, angling my face and hiding my eyes beneath my bangs. "I just…I think my tail just hasn't shaken off my sleep."

"You were taking a nap?"

"Y…Yeah…"

"Oh…" he trails off, his tail swishing in the water quietly. "Well, will you be okay getting back to Atlantica?"

"Um…I-I think so…"

"You sure? I could go get someone to help you…"

My hair drags back and forth across my face as I shake my head. "That won't necessary, but thank you."

"Flounder!" a far-off voice calls.

He glances to the underwater city, his eyes lighting up in realization. "I have to go now, so I guess…I'll see you around?"

"Of course. Thank you."

Flounder flashes a smile my way before swimming off. Once I'm sure he won't be glancing back, I extend my hand to my right and drag myself into the Dark Corridor.

* * *

_ "By the way," Axel arches his eyebrow suspiciously, "how the heck did you get here? The only light portal is under all that rubble at the train station."_

_ Sora blinks. "There's a portal in that secret hideout that belongs to Hayner, Pence, and Olette. You didn't know?"_

_ His green eyes widen a fraction before a devious glint lights them up. "No I didn't."

* * *

_

**Author's Afterthought: **Please leave a review! Please? Thanks for reading!_  
_


	7. Torn

**EDITED 6/28/2010**

**Author's Comments:** I hope you enjoy reading this chapter and that you continue to support this story, even if it's nothing compared to the real Kingdom Hearts games.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kingdom Hearts. I own Imani and Aden.**

* * *

**_"No, Sora."_

_ "But Riku—"_

_ "I'd rather burn alive," Riku grumbles, leering at the redhead standing next to him._

_ Axel shrugs, flexing his fingers and smirking easily. "I can arrange for that."_

_ "Enough, both of you." Zexion rubs one of his temples with a sigh. "Axel and I will be accompanying you, whether you want to be burned alive or not."_

_ "But why?" Riku groans._

_ "Well why not?" Axel shoots back. "Why're you against us coming?"_

_ The silver-haired boy crosses his arms and says bluntly, "I don't trust you two."_

_ "Ouch."_

_ "The truth hurts."_

_ "They'll be helpful, Riku," Sora protests. "They know where the others are and we might be able to find out what Xemnas is planning and why Imani's running away."_

_ "Well what if they've sworn alliance with Xemnas again?" he argues, eyeing both Zexion and Axel suspiciously. "They could be leading us on a wild goose chase or plotting to take us down."_

_ "While deceiving you and your friends is quite entertaining," Zexion cuts in, rubbing his chin with his fingertips, "Imani's wellbeing and Xemnas' pursuit motives are greater concerns."_

_ "You really think we'd turn our backs on her after all she's done for us?" Axel quirks an eyebrow. "We have hearts, in case you forgot."_

_ A tiny crack in Riku's resolve gives way to a flood of mixed feelings and fears. Sora claps a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. _

_ "Imani counts on us, too." Axel smirks. "Commit it to memory."

* * *

_

_ Half-lidded yellow eyes stare at him almost dopily. "Imani who?" the death god drawls._

_ "The girl you granted invincibility to," Cloud reiterates. "Has she passed here?"_

_ He strokes his chin thoughtfully, his lips silently mouthing Cloud's explanation. "OH!" Hades snaps his spindly fingers, momentarily igniting a spark of fire. "You mean that chick who whupped your a—"_

_ "Has she passed here?" His eyes narrow slightly in a stony glare._

_ "Haven't seen her since then." He shrugs, completely unaffected by the snappish tone in Cloud's voice. "Why? You bitter that she totally owned you and Herc the Jerk?"_

_ His lips curl into a frown as he turns to exit the chamber._

_ "If you're looking for a challenge," Hades calls after him, "there's this other feisty chick who arrived a few weeks ago. You might have a better chance of beating her."_

_ Cloud's cloak flaps gently against his legs as he halts. "Another girl?"_

_ "Some blonde psycho with antennas and daggers. Goat-man says she's skilled even though she's crazy."_

_ His eyebrows inch together and he steps out completely.

* * *

_

I run a hand through my hair and knock my head against the stone wall behind me. How long can I keep this up? At least four different parties are moving between worlds to find me.

The cool night air blows past over the bridge to the (former) beast's castle. My legs lay before me, the coldness of the stones seeping into my sweatpants. Staying outside all night wouldn't necessarily make me sick (one of the perks of being invincible), but it'd be really hard to wake up in the morning.

My lips twist into a frown as I glance to the turrets peaking over the high gates of the castle. I don't have much of a choice. I can't ask the prince for shelter.

Wrapping my arms around myself, I huddle into a ball and lay my head on the ground.

Aden, what should I do now?

_

* * *

_

_ Two men leaning on different walls and staring at the tiny town below them stand in silence. The one with wavy brown hair crosses his arms, the muscles of his arms bulging against his jacket. The other man's fingers twitch against the stone behind him._

_ Finally one speaks. "Perhaps we should search for her as well."_

_ Lexaeus does not respond, instead settling for a quick glance in his companion's direction._

_ "Her guilt in leaving her friends in the dark will eventually override her determination to keep us safe," Xaldin goes on, "unless Xemnas finds her first."_

_ He hums, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with his statement.

* * *

_

I can't hope to beat Xemnas like this._

* * *

_

**Bmp.**

With a start my eyes open. Xemnas? No, he's still busy in Wonderland.

Fingers crawl up to chest and claw at my heart. Why did it beat so strongly then?

_Perhaps it's because I'm panicking._

**Bmp-p-p.**

Yes, heartbeats do tend to speed up under stress, but not this irregularly.

**Bmp-p-p. Bmp.**

The sound of my heartbeat echoes in my ears so loudly I'd almost mistake it for rumbling in the sky. The ground seems to shake as I curl closer into myself, pleading for everything to _stop_ vibrating violently.

**B-bmp-p-p-p-b-b-bmp-p-p-p—**

Every heartbeat steals the breath from my lungs. I press my hand harder into my chest. My heart feels like it's trying to burst out of me.

**B-b-bmp-bmp-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p—**

What's happening?

Something sharp—like claws or talons—tears at my back as if trying to dig into me. For the first time since becoming invincible, I can _feel_ it. I can feel the slashes and it really, really hurts. I have to bite my lip and clap a hand over my mouth to stop myself from screaming.

**—p-p-p-bmp-p-bmp-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-bmp-p—**

Stars burst behind my eyelids as I squeeze them shut. My nails dig into my chest and my palm hard enough to draw blood. Those claws continue to dig deeper and deeper.

I can't hold it in anymore. I shriek until my lungs burn, the noise ricocheting into the night as my back explodes with pain.

**—bmp-bmp-p-p-B…BMP.**

With a gasp I tear my eyes open. No longer is my heart erratically beating. It seems to have slowed almost completely. Sweet air fills my lungs as I try to blink away the flashes of light searing my vision. Tentatively I reach a hand behind me to gingerly feel around for my back wound.

No warm liquid meets my fingertips. Neither does any torn flesh or cloth. It's as if nothing had slashed me in the first place.

"Eeyuhhh…"

A shiver runs down my spine at the strangled cry. It's a sound I've only heard in my memories, particularly those of many years before my existence.

Swallowing hopelessly, I slowly turn my head to look over my shoulder. _Please don't let it be what I think it is. It can't be. It _can't_ be._

A dark blue figure with swaying arms, pointy horn-like structures protruding from its head, and narrow red eyes glares at me. A cold sweat breaks out on my skin. My calming heart sinks and that stickiness in my stomach boils and churns.

_An Unversed.

* * *

_

**Author's Afterthought: **Please leave a review! Thank you for reading!_  
_


	8. Sense

**EDITED 6/28/2010**

**Author's Comments:** **Spoiler warnings** for _Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep_ (even though I haven't actually played the game yet) from here on out. Read at your own discretion!

Hope you enjoy reading!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts. I own Imani and Aden.

* * *

The Flood leers at me, swaying back and forth on its feet as if daring me to scamper away.

_Did…Did that come from me?_

I gulp loudly, slowly getting to my feet and keeping my eyes locked with the Unversed.

_How did I do that?_

Inch by inch it approaches closer, forcing me further into the shallow wall of the bridge.

_How do I fight it? I left all my guns and daggers at Merlin's. I don't have any equipment to enhance my magic levels…_

"Please be careful, Your Majesty!"

My heart sinks even further at the French accent and the intelligible sputtering as the tall wooden doors of the wall surrounding the castle burst open. The flood stops and turns towards the noise.

Three men—one tall and lanky, another shorter and more stout, and the third handsome and fairly well-built—huff to catch their breaths, their tussled hair sticking out in all directions.

I almost groan aloud. Caught_ again_.

"It…It's you!" Cogsworth heaves, pointing a chubby finger my way. "You're…the girl who…you destroyed the ballroom!"

"She has…a _name_…" Lumiere rolls his eyes. "I…Imani…right, mademoiselle?"

"Well remembering…what she _did_…is easier than remembering…her name!"

"Enough bickering, you two," the prince commands them, his eyes flicking between me and the flood. "What…what is the meaning of this? What is _that?_"

The blue Unversed blinks, its head slowly turning as if deciding whether to lunge at me or the three standing at the doors. Cogsworth and Lumiere cower slightly at its red glare, inching behind the prince's back. "A Heartless?" Lumiere guesses.

I straighten myself, using the wall behind me as a support. "Can someone get me a weapon?" I call, flexing my fingers in anticipation. "I can distract it with magic for a little while, but I'll need something—_anything_ to fight it."

The prince nods, glancing over his shoulder. "Lumiere, Cogsworth—"

"Say no more, Your Highness!" Both men dash back to the castle.

I hurdle over the Flood, landing between it and the prince and stretching my arms out protectively. "Stay back, Your Highness."

The Flood seems to sense the start of battle and surges forward. Inches before it collides with me, I swipe a hand across my chest and send it reeling back with a gust of wind. Within moments, though, the Flood regains its footing and charges again.

I curse under my breath, beckoning sparks of electricity to jump between my fingers and thrusting my hand out. A bolt of lightning sears right through it and the Unversed spazzes and writhes.

"Hurry!" the prince shouts behind me. "Imani, they're almost here."

"Good," I exhale sharply, chancing a look over my shoulder.

Lumiere runs to my side with Cogsworth lagging behind. "Will this do?" he asks, holding out a lackluster spear he probably wrenched from the lifeless hand of a suit of armor in the hallway.

"Perfect." I snatch it from him and swing at the flood. The blade slices and the flood dissipates into a cloud of blue smoke.

Only after the last wisp of smoke fades do we let out the breath we all seemed to be holding. "_Saperlipopette_," the former candelabra sighs. "_Merci_, Mademoiselle Imani."

"No, thank _you_." I set the spear upright on its bladeless end. "If you hadn't gotten this for me in time, it would've taken much longer to beat it."

"What was it?" Cogsworth demands as he marches up to me and stabs a finger at my forehead. "Did _you_ bring that monstrosity with you?"

"I-I'm sorry I always end up causing you trouble every time I come but I honestly don't know what happened," I plead, handing the spear to Lumiere. "What matters is that it's gone, right?"

"Hardly!" he screeches.

"What were you doing out here?" the prince asks, joining us. "You know you're always welcome into my castle, right?"

_"Where did you run off to?"_

Fear seizes my heart and I bite my lip, glancing away from everyone's gaze. "I-I…I have to go."

I whip a hand out and run into the Dark Corridor. I have _got_ to stop getting discovered.

* * *

_Cloud's cautious footsteps into the coliseum falter at the crack of thunder and the hiss of lightning slamming into the ground. A woman's shrill laughter rings not a moment later._

_ "I'm telling you, she's _nuts,_" Phil exhales sharply, cowering behind his dark cape. "Sure, the Heartless haven't shown up in months but that ain't stopping her."_

_ "Hercules hasn't been able to defeat her?"_

_ "She's got _stamina_. I'm almost tempted to get _Zeus_ to deal with her."_

_ Amidst the dusty haze and the blocks of stone scattered in the stadium, a petite figure with sparks flying from its outstretched arms emerges, prowling like a lion that's spotted its prey._

_ He steps forward, his face completely emotionless. "Larxene."_

_ The figure chuckles and a leering face appears, cold blue eyes sparkling. "Cloud Strife. _Finally_ an opponent worthy of my time."_

_ "I didn't come to fight you." He stops a few feet away from her. "I'm looking for Imani."_

_ "Maxie?" Her dainty nose wrinkles as she adjusts her hold of the knives nestled between her fingers and leans on one leg. "What happened to her?"_

_ At the mention of the nickname, Cloud's jaw tightens. "She's missing. Have you seen her?"_

_ Instead of confirming or denying, Larxene throws her head back and cackles. "Maxie has run away? _Maxie?_"_

_ The fingers gripping his Buster sword twitch. "You don't believe me?"_

_"Who or what could scare off _Maxie_?"_

_ "Her name is _Imani_."_

_ "_Maxie_ is more than capable of handling whatever annoyance comes her way."_

_ "Xemnas is hunting her."_

_ Abruptly she stops, her eyes widening. "What?"_

_ "Xemnas has his heart and he's hunting Imani," he repeats, glaring at her. "Still amused?"_

_ Not a word crawls out of her parted lips but soon she recovers...sort of. "Huh."_

_ He quirks an eyebrow. "That's all you have to say?"_

_ "Well what did you think I was going to say?" With a flick of her wrists, the knives disappear into her sleeves and she slaps her palms to her cheeks in mock surprise. "'Maxie's in danger? Oh my gosh! We have to stop Xemnas!' Blah blah blah!"_

_ Cloud hardens his stare silently._

_ "Oh, give me a break." Her blue eyes roll skywards in exasperation. "She can handle anything on her own."_

_ "Running away doesn't solve anythi—"_

_ "That's _her_ problem."_

_ "Why won't you help?"_

_ "Why should I help?"_

_ "She helped you get your heart. You _owe_ her."_

_ "I owe her _nothing_," she hisses, her nose inches from his. "It was her choice to help us."_

_ "And it was your choice to accept that help," he fires back. "If she hadn't…" He trails off, sighing and shaking his head. "You know what? Fine. Do whatever you want. I can't waste any more time arguing with you like this."_

_ Before he can turn around, a dagger zooms by and nicks his cheek._

_ Larxene smirks. "You're not getting away that easily. I haven't had a decent fight in weeks."

* * *

_

I cross my arms. I finally have a lead—that Unversed that tore from my back—but how can I use it to solve this mess?

_A dark masked figure snaps a wooden sword in half, tossing the shards to the side without a second-glance._

My eyes narrow. Vanitas. His memory was what spurred my darkness to take over me and almost annihilate my existence in favor of becoming its own powerful entity. Could his memory be acting up again? Could my darkness have been what birthed the Unversed?

I shake my head. No, that can't be it. My darkness hasn't done anything since then to try overpowering me. I haven't been hearing voices and almost every night of rest I've had has been dreamless. If anything, shouldn't the light in me be more powerful at this point? All the Nobodies in my memory have gotten their hearts thanks to the light and the memories of Sora and Ventus.

How is Xemnas able to seize my heart so effortlessly? How can I stop him?

_Flames lick at the walls of the rose garden maze in an effort to scorch the sky blue ceiling. With a subdued laugh Xemnas departs, leaving behind a wailing fat queen and a horde of card soldiers scrambling around madly._

My nails dig into my palm as I clench my fist tightly.

_Loud clangs of clashing metal fill the dusty air. He blinks the sweat from his blue eyes, parrying the shower of knives raining down on him._

It doesn't make sense.

_Barely a second after Xemnas leaves, Sora and the gang burst through the door, gasping both for air and at the terrible sight. Axel's green eyes gleam with a crazed light at the flames, snapping out of the daze only when he spots the pink hair of a man kneeling before the fire, watching in dismay. Zexion doesn't waste a moment, striding forward and grabbing his shoulder. "Marluxia."_

**B-bmp.

* * *

Author's Afterthought: **Please leave a review! Thanks for reading!


	9. Stuck

**EDITED 6/28/2010**

**Author's Comments:** Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts. I own Imani and Aden.**

* * *

**_"DOUSE THE FLAMES OR IT'S OFF WITH YOUR HEADS!"_

_ Lines and lines of card soldiers carrying buckets of water—and teapots and teacups of earl grey—dash to dump their liquid on the fire and scurry away to the nearest wells to fetch more. The king, Donald, and Goofy nearly send a row of cards tumbling like dominoes in their haste to stop the fire._

_ With tired sighs, Sora and Riku collapse to the ground a safe distance away, their keyblades zapping out of their hands. "Blizzard magic's too weak." Sora shakes his head. "It just melts."_

_ Nearby, two of the three former Nobodies frown. Zexion glares at the sinking hedges from outside the garden. "The one time Demyx could have proven himself useful ends up being the one time he isn't present."_

_ "Soon the maze will be nothing but cinders," Axel says not-so-remorsefully, a grin tugging at his lips as he watches. _

_ Marluxia, who had been too stunned to do anything more than stare, finally raises his dead eyes to glower at the redhead. "If I hadn't seen the Superior, I would've thought _you_ were the one who committed this crime."_

_ Axel's growing smile falls immediately. "Xemnas did this?"_

_ "Since when do you refer to him so informally?" the pink-haired man questions, his frown deepening._

_ "We're not part of Organization XIII anymore. No ranks or hierarchy. You'll have to find someone else to overthrow now."_

_ "What's the use? My heart wouldn't be in it."_

_ "This argument is costing us precious time," Zexion intervenes abruptly. "It's obvious that Imani isn't here. We need to move to another world and search."_

_ "You're looking for Imani, too?" Marluxia cries incredulously. "You _and_ the Sup—Xemnas."_

_ Crawling closer, Sora asks with wide eyes, "How'd you know Xemnas is looking for her?"_

_ "He came to me to ask her whereabouts before setting my precious roses on fire," he growls. "He muttered nonsense about overtaking her powers and the futility of denying destiny."_

_ "Overtaking her powers?" Riku kneels next to him. "What did he mean by that?"_

_ He throws his hands up in the air, sending specks of soil flying from his gardening gloves. "That's what I wanted to know. He was too immersed in the task of stirring up chaos to answer me. I suggest you find either Imani or Xemnas and ask."_

_ All four—even Axel—scowl. "Easier said than done," Riku grumbles.

* * *

_

Only the quiet whooshes of my breathing keep silence at bay in the room. I finally have a solution...one that will surely work...one that Sora and Riku and Axel and everyone else might not forgive me for when all is said and done.

No matter what, I have to stay away from Xemnas.

_He'd heard stories about the Pumpkin King, but Leon had never imagined the tall skinny…person…to be so _eccentric_. Jack Skellington's welcoming outburst upon learning of Leon's friendship with Sora was so enthusiastic it formed a crack in his stoic mask._

_ "What can I do for you?" Jack asks eagerly, waving his arms with a flourish. "Ask anything!"_

_ Clearing the shock from his face, Leon grips his Gunblade a little tighter. "You know of a girl named Imani, right?"_

_ "Know her? I fought alongside her!" he exclaims with a huge smile on his face...which falters within moments. "Or, at least, I fought _with_ her. She was sort of possessed at the time."_

_ He nods. Sora mentioned the zombie-filled battle once before. "Has she come by here lately?" _

_ His small smile sinks into a full-on frown. "No, I don't think so. She would have certainly sought me out to say hello if she had come to Halloween Town."_

_ Contrary to knowledge of her invincibility and her powers of manipulating memories, Leon knows Imani harbors an inexplicable fear for the horrific. According to knowledge of her desperation in avoiding everyone who knew her, he figured searching the dark world was worth a try. _

_ "I see," he finally sighs, turning around to the light portal. "Thank you."_

_ "Has something happened to her?" Jack calls behind him. "It's been a while since I've seen her."_

_ He mutters as he steps into the light pool, "Same here."_

If it means never seeing my friends again, so be it.

_The rapid clopping of Phil's hooves against the sandstone ceases as Cloud steps out of the arena and into the entryway. "What happened in there?" he demands. "All the dust got in my eyes so I couldn't see."_

_ Without stopping Cloud walks calmly to the exit. "She shouldn't be causing much trouble for a while."_

_ A shout ranging somewhere between a gleeful laugh and a frustrated cry erupts._

Reuniting with loneliness is a worthy price to pay for their protection.

_"I can hardly take this," Kairi mumbles, storming up and down the bedroom Queen Minnie had given her. "How much longer do I have to stay put, gazing out the window and wringing my hands?"_

_ Chip gives a sideways glance to Dale. Both sit on the window sill, watching her wear away a trail on the royal blue carpet. "Then why don't we go and look for her?" the chipmunk asks._

_ "She wouldn't want that," she sighs. "Besides, what would happen if I _do_ find her? She'd slip through my fingers if I reached out to her. She's too strong."_

_ "And that's going against the king's orders," Dale reminds his brother with a solemn nod. "Who knows who we'll run into if we leave the castle?"_

I close my eyes. Right, Aden?

_A loud crash from outside the room interrupts Kairi's response. _

_ "What was that?" Chip and Dale both exclaim, jumping to their feet and hugging each other fearfully._

_ In a puff of sparkly smoke, a tall figure clothed in blue robes appears and reaches out to grab Kairi's shoulder. "The three of you must come with me," Master Yen Sid whispers harshly._

You said I had what it took to defy the odds—

_"What's going on?" Kairi asks breathlessly as she jogs to keep up with the wizard's long hurried strides. Chip and Dale cower in her arms at the continuous booms echoing in the halls._

_ The wizard mutters darkly, "He has come."_

—but it appears I've lost it...just like I lost you all those months ago.

_

* * *

_

**Author's Afterthought: **Please review! Thanks for reading!_  
_


	10. Family

**EDITED 7/4/2010**

**Author's Comments:** Please leave a review to let me know what you think.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts. I own Imani and Aden.

* * *

_Axel lets out a low whistle, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his dark jacket. "The place sure is a lot _brighter_ than the last time I came."_

_ "The spell was broken," Donald explains while crossing his arms smugly. "Now everyone is human again!"_

The sun rises and sets endlessly. I've been lying on the ground for six days straight. The conclusions that have risen in my head seem to have frozen my muscles and stolen my will to do anything. I can't think of anything else I could do, anyway. So long as I'm alone...

_He steps off the portal tentatively with one paw in front of the other. Glancing down at himself for a fleeting curious moment, Cloud breathes in the warm air before approaching the humming baboon standing in front of a mural of animals—mostly lions._

_ The baboon, Rafiki, suddenly stops humming and whips around to look at Cloud, searching his eyes carefully and gripping his staff._

Memories of my searching friends play subconsciously like background music except more vividly. Both the dry air of the savanna and the musty air of the castle towers tickles my nose.

_His footsteps echo against the stone floor as he draws nearer to the large, circular mirror hanging on the wall. Quietly he stops when he sees his own face in the glass, but all too soon his reflection scorches amidst flames and a headless mask ripples into being._

_ "A new face," the mask drawls. "How refreshing."_

The tiniest wave of relief zips through my veins. They've all come to dead-ends…

Wait.

_"You just missed her!" Lumiere cries, leading the group to up the stairs and down the halls. "She fought a strange blue monster and then disappeared!"_

_ All glance at each other. "A Heartless?" Goofy guesses._

_"If it _was_ a Heartless, it was quite different than any that's ever come to the castle," the prince says._

_ "Did she say where she went?" Sora asks hopefully and hopelessly._

_ "No," the prince shakes his head as he bursts through the door and strides for a small table by the window, "but I have something that might help you find her."_

My forehead wrinkles as my eyebrows draw together. What is he talking about?

_ "You are in search of something," Rafiki says with a smile, the stones and shells clacking in his other hand as he tosses them loosely. "You seek someone very powerful…someone who is driven by her fears."_

_ He doesn't respond. Answering would be a waste of time the shaman could use to tell him what Cloud hopes he knows._

I sit up abruptly, the breath I'd been holding rushing out of me instantly and my heart dropping.

_"Merlin tells me you can show me anything I want to see," Leon says._

_ "Upon command by my queen," it clarifies. "She is no longer. I have no purpose."_

_ He arches an eyebrow beneath his dark bangs. "I can change that."_

They couldn't be…

_ He snatches the handle, holding it away from him so that everyone crowding around can see. "Show us where Imani has run to," the prince demands._

_ A greenish glow throws itself onto the dark walls of the west wing as the mirror glass reflects an image of a castle covered from top to bottom in thorns._

A fiber of the little peace I'd gathered in my heart snaps.

_ "She has come to rest in a great stone tree with hollow limbs that stretch for the sky," he goes on, closing his eyes and swaying on his feet. The clacking grows louder as he juggles the objects faster. "Many years ago, in that very tree, a black winged, fire-breathing creature weaved lies around the hearts of three warriors who wielded strange weapons."_

And another.

_ "I'm looking for a girl who has the power to write destiny." _

_ "Maxiin," the mask nods knowingly, a smirk curling its lips. "The Kismet Scribe."_

_ "It's Imani," Leon corrects. "Where is she?"_

No.

_ Both mirrors show the same image: a dark-haired girl sitting on a grimy stone floor, her eyes wide with fear._

_ "The castle of an evil witch named…" Rafiki's eyes fly open, "Maleficent."_

No no no no no no no—

_"Hurry!" Sora shouts as the seven of them race back to the light portal—_

_ Cloud ignores the baboon's warnings against wasting time, turning on his hind legs and diving—_

_ In moments Leon lunges—_

Despairing wails echo in my head but my muscles refuse to budge. My panicking heart beats rapidly, threatening to explode out of my chest.

_One after the other they dash away from the pool of light, feet pounding the ground in their pursuit._

WhatdoIdowhatdoIdotheycan'tfindmewhatdoIdo—

"IMANI!"

The shout seems to switch my common sense back on. A jolt sears up my spine and I gasp for my breath. I scramble to stand up and wind my arm back and thrust my hand forward to call a Dark Corri—

Long fingers curl around my wrist and squeeze tightly, stopping the ripple of energy. Loud clangs boom near my ears. Something nudges me in the back, in my stomach, and in my cheeks. The air buzzes with magic looming over my head.

My ability to breathe jams up again. Three keyblades graze the skin of my neck in a close triangle. A chakram spike roughly pokes each cheek. The barrel of a Gunblade stabs at my back while the tip of a Buster sword jabs my front. Nine pairs of eyes glare at me from all angles.

A scream builds up in my chest, but I can't remember how to let it out.

"Imani."

My heart slows down as the reality of the situation sets in. I hardly comprehend what I'm saying when I whisper, "You're holding it just like him. _Reversed_."

Time stands still as blades and points and magic and his hand keep me frozen in place. The keyblade behind me hesitantly lowers from my neck. The Gunblade barrel shifts to the side, away from my back.

"Sora," Riku growls warningly.

His grip loosens but he doesn't let go. "Where've you been?" he asks sadly. "We were really worried about you."

A stab at my conscience. _I know._

"You know what's going on," Sora goes on, "and why Xemnas is after you. You're the only one who does."

A twist of the knife. _I know that._

He sighs. "But there's something you _don't_ know…and it's scaring you into hiding more than Xemnas himself is."

_He fires red bullets all around him as he spins in the throne room. Walls cave in and pillars collapse. Just as a piece of the ceiling dislodges above him, dark smoke clouds around Xemnas and swallows him into safety._

"So…why didn't you tell us anything? Don't you trust us?"

The killing thrust. _I don't trust myself._

Fingers tighten and he gives a slight shake. "Imani, please say something."

I bow my head as much as I can with two keyblades near my neck. "Please let go of me."

"No."

The spikes digging into my cheeks suddenly heat up. "This stupid hide-and-seek game of yours ends now."

"Let me go," I say again, a quiver sneaking into my voice.

"_No_."

"No matter how much stronger you've become, you won't be strong enough to fight me."

"Is that a threat?"

Swallowing thickly, I shut my eyes against the sting building up. "What if it is?"

Harsh laughter slices through the thick tension in the musty air. "You _cried_ the last time you had to fight your friends. The whole reason you've been telling us to stay away from Xemnas was to protect us, right? You're willing to turn your back on all that and fight us just so you can get the hell away?"

"Just let me go," I beg.

"Since when have you been this _desperate?_"

"I can't protect you any other way. I don't know how."

"So you're running away because you don't know what else to do? You're _giving up?_"

My comeback dies on my tongue.

"You told me you were the kind of friend who refuses to settle for a second-best solution," he growls. "You told me you had what it took to face the odds...to _defy _them. The Imani I knew lived up to those words with everything she had. She _fought_ for us. What makes this shitty situation any different than that compromise crap? We all thought it was impossible but you never gave in. You proved every single one of us wrong. "

Everything he says sinks into my skin and courses through my veins, burning every inch of my body as it circulates. A familiar warmth crawls through my chest and behind my eyes.

The spikes poking my cheeks pull away. Axel sighs. "What the hell _happened _to you?"

The warmth explodes within me and I cry. I cry for the mess I've become and the mess I've dragged these friends into.

Blue sparks lick my neck as Riku's keyblade vanishes. He kneels down next to me and his hand firmly grabs hold of my free one. "We never asked to be protected, Imani. If we wanted that, we wouldn't be here."

My fingers tremble between his.

"Stop trying to be the overprotective parent and let us be your friends." He squeezes tighter, his skin absorbing all the trembling. "You're only invincible _physically_. I bet your mind and your heart is suffering under all this weight you refuse to hand off to us."

Behind me, Sora sheathes his keyblade and falls to his knees, sliding his hand into my extended one. "You're like our little sister, Imani. It really kills an older brother's pride when he can't help his little sister."

_"IMANI BRISCE IS MY SISTER!"_

A gasp racks my lungs as images of Aden standing before me with his arms spread protectively flood my vision. For every punch and kick and throw he takes a sob escapes my lips. "I know," I whisper.

"Then don't give up on us." A warm hand rests on my head. "We haven't given up on you."

* * *

**Author's Afterthought: **Drama. Whoo. Thanks for reading! Please review!


	11. Found

**EDITED 7/26/2010**

**Author's Comments:** Thanks for waiting! Just to let you know, there are **spoilers** for _Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep_ in this chapter. I have not played the game yet, but I found my information through other resources. **Reader discretion is strongly advised**.

If you do choose to continue reading, though, please enjoy and leave a review!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts. I own Imani and Aden.

**

* * *

**With a snap of his fingers, Axel ignites the small pile of dead vine branches he and Riku had gathered throughout the castle. He promptly sits in front of me Indian-style afterward. "Talk."

I sigh, eyeing the two hands holding mine hopelessly. "Where should I start?"

"Anywhere you want." One hand—Sora's tanned, fingerless-gloved left—squeezes encouragingly. "Just don't leave anything out."

"Is this necessary?" I hold up my held hands.

"It's crucial in the sense that it is the only method through which we can ensure you won't run away without injuring us in the process," Zexion, whose pale right hand envelops my left, explains monotonously. "You'd have to wrench your grip away from ours, most likely twisting our wrists and breaking our arms."

My eyes narrow into a glare. "I don't know what's more surprising—the fact that _you_ came up with such a weird method or the fact that you're not making someone else hold my hand."

"It's _working_, isn't it?"

"Just start talking!" Axel huffs. "We haven't got all night."

Shooting a final glare at Zexion's curtain of hair, I breathe in to calm my panicking heart before turning back to the rest of the group. Riku sits cross-legged next to Sora while Donald, Goofy, and the king finish off the circle around the fire on the other side of Axel. Cloud—a hand resting on the hilt of his Buster sword—and Leon—arms crossed—lean against opposite walls.

Reluctantly, I murmur, "I've been thinking a lot this past week about what happened before I was born…particularly of a time about ten years ago." With a little difficulty I swallow down the empathetic dread from remembering. "When Xehanort was created.

"The Xehanort we're familiar with was actually two beings in one body. He came to be when a corrupt keyblade master unlocked his former apprentice's heart and possessed it. The apprentice was fighting his master in an effort to try and save his friends from a strong darkness incarnate.

"Xehanort was defeated and sent to Radiant Garden by the incarnate of the apprentice's consciousness and strength called the Lingering Sentiment. After defeating the apprentice's friend, he carried out a new life as one of Ansem the Wise's apprentices, but the two beings residing in him fought for dominance over his body—an internal battle between light and darkness."

Sora's hand squeezes mine. "Just like yours not too long ago."

I nod. "My darkness was actually fueled by the memory of a being named Vanitas. Vanitas was derived from the darkness in Sora's ancestor who also happened to be the apprentice's close friend. He literally breathed darkness into being through creatures called the Unversed. The Xehanort you battled was nothing compared to Vanitas.

"When I finally gained control over my darkness, Xemnas saw it as my gaining control over Vanitas. In a way, I have control over his memory. Last week an Unversed birthed from my body when I thought about how useless I am against Xemnas.

"I think that's why he wouldn't discourage my idea of a compromise—he knew if I fought my darkness, it would make me stronger. That would, in turn, make _him_ stronger when he came back into being through me."

"But he _didn't_ reincarnate himself through you," Donald cuts in, tilting his head confusedly. "He got his own heart."

"Maybe he couldn't reincarnate himself in Imani because she's too strong," Goofy shrugs.

"That's what I think," I agree. "Maybe the invincibility Hades granted me got in his way somehow."

"So if he has his heart and he knows you're stronger than he is, why is he after you and why are you so afraid of him?" Axel wants to know.

"It's _because_ he knows I'm stronger than him that he's chasing me. He wants to be able to control something as dangerous as Vanitas' memory…I think."

"You think?"

"I'm not a mind-reader."

"That doesn't explain why you've been running away from everyone."

"Because the only way he'll get my knowledge and control and strength and whatever else he wants from me is if he makes my heart burst from my chest and magnetically drags me towards him whenever we're in the same world, apparently!"

My words echo in the empty chamber. I clutch the hands holding mine tighter in an effort to keep myself from shutting my eyes and reliving the memory of being within ten feet of him.

"His presence _seizes_ my entire body whenever he's near," I whisper. "My heart beats so erratically that I think I'm going to explode. From the way I feel myself being pulled towards him, I think he'll _absorb_ me if I get too close."

"That's why you don't want to try fighting him," Riku concludes for me. "But how does he have that kind of control over you?"

I can only shake my head and stare into the fire. "I don't know."

Silence follows the confession. The fire crackles and an occasional gust rustles the thorny vines around the castle.

"How can we fight him?" Cloud finally speaks up. "We were hoping you'd know a way."

"I know." I sigh. "I'm sorry."

He adjusts his grip on his sword. "It's not your fault."

"Is there anything you could tell us that would help us think of ideas?" Leon asks. "We might be able to come up with something if we knew more."

I nibble on my lower lip doubtfully.

"The way we think is different from the way you think," the king smiles. "Anything you can tell us would help."

The words and his smile prick my heart with guilt. It couldn't hurt.

I gaze at the ceiling in thought. "I guess one thing I can say about him is that he doesn't seem to look at himself as a Somebody. He sees himself as a Nobody with a heart. He thinks he has superiority over his emotions—that he can literally _control _them."

"Control his emo—"

**B-bmp.**

I freeze.**  
**

_"The chase ends now, Kismet Scribe."_

My right hand shakes slightly. "Imani? What's wrong?"

All I glimpse is goldenrod eyes before the image in my mind goes blank, wiped clean like a chalkboard being erased of all the white writing. My eyebrows inch together as I try to recollect the memory stream, but I can't remember…Was I only imagining him?

"What's wrong, Imani?"

"…n't see him…" I murmur under my breath.

"What?"

My eyes squint. "I can't see him…"

**B-bmp. **Why can't I see him?

_"How convenient and ironic that your friends are holding you in place."_

**B-bmp. **He knows where I am? He knows that I'm not alone?

"What are you talking about?"

**B-bmp.**

How long has he been able to erase himself from my memory? How long has he had knowledge of where I am?

_"It must have been fate."_

"Imani!" Out of my peripheral, Axel moves forward and reaches out—

**B-BMP.**

The fire blows out. Dark miasma tears through the space between me and Axel.

**B-BMP-P-P-P-BMP-BMP-BMP-B-BMP—**

Immediately I unfold my legs and dig my heels into the ground, holding on to Sora's and Zexion's hands for dear life as I feel myself being pulled towards the Dark Corridor. Sora whips out his keyblade and stabs the ground next to him as an anchor against the draw.

"What the—"

"Imani!"

"How'd he—"

**B-BMP-BMP-BMP-P-P-P-P-B-BMP-B-BMP-P-P—**

The moment he steps out, my eyes lock with goldenrod.

"Xemnas…" Sora breathes.

**BMPBPMPBMPBMPBMPBMPBMPBMP—**

He smirks easily, sauntering closer as the void shuts behind him. "You don't have to have a heart…"

BMPBMPBMPBMPBMPBMPBMPBMPBMP**—**

"…to know how to manipulate one…"

He reaches out with one gloved hand for my exposed chest.

**BMPBMPBMPBMPBMPBMPBMPBMPBMP—**

"…but it certainly does help, doesn't it?"

His palm lands right over my heart.

**BMP.**

Everything freezes—my heart, Axel's lunge towards me, Donald's outraged squawk, Goofy's flailing arms, the king's stab at Xemnas, Cloud and Leon's dash, Riku's arm-swipe for his keyblade, the flipping pages of Zexion's Lexicon, Sora's tightening fingers…

"Don't hurt them," I slur through gritted teeth.

The smirk widens and his eyes sparkle with insanity. "Surely you know me better than to toss an empty threat and expect me to abide by it?"

His palm presses. My heart zooms into his contact.

"Or perhaps you're losing your touch…" he whispers, "…Imani?"

My eyes roll to the back of my head, his voice echoing in my ears.

* * *

**Author's Afterthought: **Please leave a review! They make my world a little brighter. Shout-out to **Midna Hytwilian** for that day-brightening review! :D Thanks for reading!


	12. Lost

**EDITED 6/28/2010**

**Author's Comments:** I have to give credit to Imogen Heap's song "Have You Got It in You?" for inspiring this chapter. I developed this chapter before chapters 8 through 10 (I think) and it really saved the story and provided new ideas to incorporate. When I first heard the song, I thought of writing a scene with more action than this chapter actually has, but I'm planning to revisit my original ideas and write them out later.

Okay, enough talking. Hope you enjoy reading!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts. I own Imani and Aden.**

* * *

**Darkness. Everywhere. I can't tell whether my eyes are open or not. Everything around me is pitch-black…the ground below me, the space above me, to my left and to my right…

Slowly I step around in a circle, taking in all this darkness. How am I supposed to feel when I see that I'm swallowed in black? Alarmed? Comfortable? Scared?

Where am I, anyway? How did I get here in the first place? Is this a dream? Or maybe…am I dead? Did I die? Am I comatose and _about _to die? Maybe I'll start hearing voices calling my name.

What _is_ my name? Who am I?

My chin drops to my chest. The hem of my black coat flutters around my dark boots. A metal zipper snakes up the coat from my mid-thigh to my chest. Tight, second-skin gloves hug my fingers and my palms.

I feel like I should laugh, but I don't know why.

* * *

The ground beneath me is _rumbling._

Grounds don't usually rumble. It'd be much more difficult to walk, wouldn't it? It's a little strange just _standing._

I tilt my head to one side. So why is the ground rumbling? I don't see anything that would cause it to rumble. This can't be an earthquake, right? Should I feel concerned?

_Ugh._ I slap a gloved hand to my forehead. _Here I go with the questions again.

* * *

_

My legs are getting tired, so I slowly descend to the ground and lie on my back, my leather coat squeezing me slightly as I bend down. What's the point in standing if there's nothing but…_nothingness_ around me? Nobody will care.

I sort of like feeling the ground rumble beneath me. It's…comforting. The vibrations remind me of someone chuckling gently while hugging me. Someone like a close friend.

I scrunch my eyebrows closer together. Do I have friends? If I do, I should probably consider making new ones since the ones I might have now seem to have left me alone in this abyss.

The only problem with trying to make new friends is _finding_ people to befriend.

* * *

I swear, I only closed my eyes for five seconds…I didn't count, though.

When I open them, two glaringly bright yellow orbs hover inches from my face. The brilliance sears my pupils, forcing me to squeeze them shut immediately and pry them open slowly to adjust.

Eventually I look to the orbs, tilt my head to one side, and wonder, _What is this?_

The orbs move into a slant wobbly so that they look straight. I tilt my head to the other side. The orbs follow. I squint my eyes...Eyes! I'm staring at a pair of _eyes_. If I stare really closely, I can make out a head and a body.

A friend…?

Before I realize it, my hand reaches up to trace its jaw. Chilly velvety skin sends tingles into my fingertips. The creature neither leans into my touch nor shies away from it.

_A tentative friend,_ I decide, withdrawing my hand and drowning myself in yellow with a slight air of relief settling in my mind. I was beginning to get bored with all this black.

* * *

The Thing doesn't say much. None of them do. They don't seem to pay mind to me. After ogling for a few minutes, they wander off and only look at me when I shout suddenly for no reason.

I think they're catching on to my attention-grabbing ploy. They won't look unless I shout _really_ loud.

I clear my throat scratchily and swallow away the pain. I don't really even know why I'm trying so hard to get their attention. I guess it's because I'm bored again. The rumbling in the ground feels like it's gotten a little stronger…like the close friend finds something so funny that he's cackling his head off madly.

I don't hear laughter, but the thought is still a little disturbing.

* * *

If the ground starts to shake any more violently, I think a giant trench might crack open right underneath me and swallow me whole.

I don't really care. Falling into a trench must be more productive than lying around and wondering what the hell's going on. The Things won't tell me, and I don't have any clues to help me…unless I count the wanting-to-laugh-when-I-glance-down-to-my-coat part, but that's more confusing than helpful.

I glance down again…and find light rising up against the sides of my arms and my waist. The rumbling abruptly stops.

Pushing myself up, I scramble to my feet and gape at the huge stained-glass circle I had been lying on. When did this get here? Perhaps the ground was shaking because this picture was trying to surface?

Twelve small circles border the painting. In addition, several more circles surround the image of a man dressed in a dark cloak very similar to mine. Silver hair frames his angular tanned face. The man's eyes are closed peacefully as if he's sleeping, but his arms are outstretched to either side of him. Downcast faces rest in the surrounding circles, mostly of men with hairstyles of oddly appealing colors and crazy fashions. Red and yellow and grey and black smear the hauntingly beautiful picture.

As I study the stained-glass circle and look into each pair of distressed eyes, something writhes in my chest, flailing helplessly as if feeling around for something to grab and constrict and squeeze the life out of.

_Why do they look so troubled?_

I take a tentative five steps to my left, keeping my eyes locked with theirs. Maybe whatever they've been painted to look at is troubling them.

_But they're looking at _me_._

As I dash to the right, their eyes never once stray from mine. Is this an artist's trick?

_Who would agree to being painted with such sad faces?_

They were probably sad when this picture was being made…so sad that they couldn't bear trying to smile because they'd crumble.

_But why would they feel like they're about to crumble?_

Because—

I jerk my head up away from their eyes. Who am I to decide what the story is behind this circle? I don't recognize these faces. I don't know anything—not even my own name.

_Then why won't this pain in my chest disappear when I look at these people?_

Fingers claw at my chest, fisting my cloak. The sensation reminds me of being hungry—my stomach is trying to digest food for energy, but there isn't any food to digest.

_It's like I'm missing something that makes me feel complete._

The thought steals the breath from my lungs and my eyes magnetically catch sight of a pair of acid green eyes. The dark triangular tattoos underneath them can't compare to how dark the redhead's eyes appear under all that unease.

Then, an unlikely epiphany explodes in my mind: _They're troubled because they know I'm missing something._

The idea smudges out a little of my confusion. Well of _course_ I'm missing something—my sense of identity, for one—but why do I feel so sure that _they_ know? They're just faces in a painting.

Right?

I tear my eyes away from acid green to connect with jade. Do these faces belong to real people? Do these people know who I am? Am I supposed to know who they are?

_I _must_ know them…Why would they look at me that way if I didn't?_

But maybe that's the thing. Maybe I don't know them. Maybe knowing them is what I'm missing. Maybe they're what I'm missing.

_Or maybe _I'm_ what's missing._

Jade to deep blue. The only thing I'm not confused about at the moment is the fact that I don't like the way they're looking at me or the way the man in the middle looks so calm despite the tension around him...or the way the writhing in my chest makes it hard for me to breathe properly.

I turn to the horde of Things watching me carefully. "This thing is wrong," I tell them, my own voice startling me a little.

_What's wrong with it?_ they ask without asking.

"Everything," I answer without thinking. "It's…It's not supposed to look like this. I just _know _it isn't supposed to look like this."

_So?_ they seem to say. _What are you going to do about it?_

With a deep, somewhat shaky breath and a strangely confident smile tugging at my lips, I declare quietly, "I'm going to fix it."

The writhing tendrils in my chest subside with my words. The Things scatter away hurriedly.

The glass beneath my feet shatters.

* * *

**Author's Afterthought: **Please leave a review! Thank you for reading!


	13. Imani

**EDITED 6/28/2010**

**Author's Comments: **Hello! Hope you are well and that you enjoy this chapter!**  
**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts. I own Imani and Aden.

* * *

White. White everywhere.

Peeling my cheek from the white tabletop, I press my fingers to my eyelids and try to massage away the stinging. Couldn't I have woken up in a darker room? I would've been fine with someplace a little grayer, not blinding white.

Once I can keep my eyes open without flinching, I glance over the room. Crayon drawings litter the floor and start to peel from the walls. Orange-tinged sky peeks in from the only window. A few crayon stubs sit at the other end of the table. Curiously, I reach down to grab the closest paper and flip it over to the drawing side.

My breath catches in my throat. Brown spikes for hair, blue gems for eyes, sun-kissed skin, smiling lips…This boy looks exactly like the one in the cir—

"STOP!"

I cringe at the sudden shout, the paper slipping away from my fingers.

"Sora! Watch out!"

Whoever is yelling sounds like he's approaching this building quickly. Nearly knocking my chair over and tripping on the legs, I dash to the window and thrust my head out.

The high wall surrounding the courtyard outside blocks most of the fiasco, but I spot flames and red beams and lightning bolts exploding over the top.

"Your Majesty!"

One foot begins to point for the door while the other remains glued to the ground. Should I go? What could I do to help? I don't know how to fight. What if I get attacked?

A strangled cry cuts short my insecure train of thought. Both feet fly out underneath me as I hurry down the stairs. I shove open the creaky door and race to the front gate where I see sparks and flashing lights between the spokes.

As I near the gate, I spot people leaping and hovering and slashing and thrashing crazily. The shouts become louder and more frantic. The majority of them seem to be against one person—a man with billowing silver hair shooting red lasers from his hands.

When I see the man's face, though, I dart to the side and lean up against the wall away from their line of sight, my eyes wide.

_He's the sleeping man in the circle._

Carefully I peer around the wall at the fight on the other side. He appears much calmer than the rest. He seems to have the upper hand somehow, but I can't tell whether that's because he's stronger or not. All he's doing is shooting lasers occasionally and dodging attacks. Whatever hits the others do land don't seem to faze him.

_The others…they're in the circle, too._

I count off the fighters: a boy with brown spikes and a giant key (who looks like the boy in the picture); another boy with a key but with silver hair; a man with red hair and circular spiky things rimmed with fire; a slate-haired man standing off to the side with a large tome; a white duck wielding a staff; a tall, lanky dog with a shield; and a mouse with a giant key.

The mouse parries a red laser and prepares to jump back into the fray…when his eyes glance my way.

Too late I retract my head. He saw me.

"…ni?"

Instantly the clanging metal and the whooshing flames cease to sound. The air grows so heavy with silence and apprehension that I feel it weighing on my shoulders.

Light footsteps close in towards the gate. I curse mentally—there's nowhere to hide in this grassy courtyard.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watch a white-gloved hand curl around a bar of the gate. "Imani?" a gentle, hesitant voice calls quietly. "Is that you?"

_"__Imani?" Why is he calling me "Imani"?_

The squeak pierces my ear as the mouse pushes the gate open and pokes his head through the opening. He stares up at me wide-eyed, the giant key in his hand dragging on the ground. "Imani!" he cries, dropping his key and paying no mind to it as it vanishes in a shimmer of light.

Sheer confusion clouds my brain. Does he recognize me? Is he calling me "Imani" because that's my name?

Before I can ask any of these questions, he tackles me to the ground in a big hug. "You're okay!" he shouts. "We didn't know what happened to you after you disappeared!"

Wincing at the ache in the back of my head and the constriction in my lungs, I can only gasp for air and try to push myself up into a sitting position.

"IMANI!"

My arms collapse under the newly added weight crashing down on me. Stars burst behind my eyes as I groan painfully. "Who _are_ you people?"

The laughter and the exclamations halt. I pry my eyes open to find several pairs of startled eyes focused on me.

"Sorry," I try, hoping the discomfort in my chest will disappear with the apology. "Uh…am I supposed to know who you are?"

"You…You don't remember us?" the mouse on my lap asks, his shoulders slumping.

"W-Well…" Are they sad? Why are they so depressed all of a sudden? "I recognize you from the stained-glass circle, but…"

"Stained-glass circle?" the boy with the brown spikes repeats. "Like…an Awakening?"

I push myself up once more as the mouse, duck, and dog slide away. "I guess so. I woke up after the glass shattered and I fell through."

"And you arrived here?" the silver-haired boy finishes.

"Yeah…wherever we are. Where are we?" I tilt my head.

They all glance at each other uneasily.

"Well?" I prompt.

"We're in Twilight Town," the redhead answers almost incredulously, moving closer and kneeling next to me. "You've been _living_ here with me and Zexion. You always grab breakfast at the diner I work in and you always order mini waffles with whipped cream and strawberries."

I blink. "Really?"

His bright eyes dim considerably. "What happened to you? You're supposed to know all this."

"The only thing I know is that the stained-glass circle—what did you call it? An Awakening? It's _wrong._" My fingers massage the back of my scalp. "I can't explain how I know. It just is."

"What do you mean 'the only thing you know'?" he presses.

A breathless laugh slips through my lips. "You seem to know who I am," I wave a hand to everyone, "but I don't know where I'm supposed to have met you or how I know you or what your names are. I don't even know what _my_ name is or why I think the fact that I'm wearing _this_ is so funny." I stretch my arms out before me and study the black sleeves. "I noticed that guy with the silver hair and the red laser bullets was wearing this, too…but how is that supposed to be funny?"

He falls silent while the brown-haired boy asks the man with the book, "Where is Xemnas, anyway?"

He snaps the tome shut with a weary sigh. "Gone."

"Is that his name? Xemnas?" I turn to the brown spiked boy, lowering my arms. "He seemed pretty tough holding his own against all of you."

"Maxiin."

The boy's eyes flit to the redhead then back to me. I look back at the redhead to find him staring intently at me. "Were you talking to_ me?_"

Without warning he reaches towards me, pressing a palm to my chest.

I reel back slightly. "What are you doing?"

He narrows his eyes after a few moments and turns to the others. The mouse immediately tenses in my lap. "Does she—?"

"No," the redhead shakes his head. "She doesn't have a heartbeat."

* * *

**Author's Afterthought: **Please leave a review...pretty please? I have no idea how I'm doing if you don't give me feedback.


	14. Intros

**EDITED 6/28/2010**

**Author's Comments: **Please enjoy!**  
**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts. I own Imani and Aden.

* * *

They keep calling me "Imani." Does that mean "Imani" is my name? But I don't know why the redhead (who introduced himself as Axel) called me "Maxiin"…or why they're all calling me a "Nobody."

"Xemnas took it from her," the silver-haired boy named Riku declares. He sits next to the mouse—a _king_, in fact—at the table we got in a small diner in the town outside the mansion. "He took it while he was stealing her memories and her control over her darkness back at that castle. How else could she have lost it?"

"But why doesn't she remember us?" Donald—the duck—cries as he jumps out of his seat and nearly splashes his glass of water all over Goofy (the tall dog).

"When one turns into a Nobody, he's literally left with nothing," Zexion explains, fingering his bangs thoughtfully. "No heart and barely any memories of his existence as a Somebody."

With a clatter, Axel sets down plates of food before us and takes a seat next to me. "The only way she can get her heart again is if she remembers who she is and believes in who she has become because of those memories. It'll help that Sora's around, too."

The spiky brown-haired boy called Sora pushes aside his plate—an action that strikes me as odd for some reason. "Me? But if she doesn't have any memories, then how can she remember or believe in anything?"

Axel shrugs. "That's what made it so hard for us to get our hearts."

I glance down at the food he put in front of me—mini waffles covered in red strawberries and fluffy whipped cream.

"Dig in. Maybe some food will jog your memory."

My fingers pick up the shiny cold fork and stab at a random waffle, lifting it up to my mouth for a bite. Sweet, creamy…

"Remember anything?"

"Let her _swallow_ first."

Slowly I nod and take another bite. "It's delicious," I admit.

Axel's eyebrow arches upward, a wary glimmer lighting up his eyes. "And?"

I blink. "And you're a great cook?"

He reels back, blinking repeatedly. "Uh…heh." He gives a breathless laugh. "I mean…Do you remember anything?"

"Uh, no." I shake my head, wiping whipped cream from the corner of my mouth.

"Does it…_remind_ you of anyone?"

"Is it _supposed_ to remind me of someone?"

He exhales sharply and props up his head with his elbow on the table, tearing his eyes away from me. "We're _screwed_. She doesn't even remember _Aden_," he mutters to himself in disbelief.

Before I can ask who "Aden" is, another voice cuts in. "Imani," Riku leans forward across the table, his hair barely ghosting over his food, "is there anything you _do_ remember? Think really carefully—whatever you _do_ remember could help us help you restore your memory."

My eyes travel up to the dark ceiling as if the angle will help my brain work better. "Um…"

"Tell us whatever is on your mind," the king encourages. "Anything."

I think something's missing. I glance around the table, searching for whatever it is that will put my mind at ease. Nothing looks out of place, though. "Ummmm…"

"Something wrong?" Goofy asks.

Maybe it's something I can't see…something audible?

Wait. The burger and fries. That's what it is.

"He asked you a question, Ima—"

"Sora should eat."

Dead silence fills the room as they all gape at me. I don't understand _why_—they were the ones who told me to say whatever is on my mind.

"Me?" The boy points to himself, his eyes wide.

I shrug, the leather of my coat squeezing my arm slightly. "I don't know…It just seems unusual of you to not scarf down food when it's sitting right in front of you. It's a little too quiet without the sounds of you eating."

Sora's eyebrows shoot up. Everyone's jaw nearly hits the tabletop.

"Of all the things to remember, you remember Sora's monster appetite?" Riku gapes.

I shift in my seat awkwardly. "Is that weird?"

Without saying a word, everyone's face screams, _Of course it's weird! _Sora's look of shock melts away the quickest as he finally picks up a fry, admitting with an encouraging smile my way, "It's a start."

* * *

"Whoa," I breathe. "What happened here?"

A giant mountain of rubble sits in the middle of the courtyard and around what looks like an old train station.

"This used to be a clock tower." Zexion waves a graceful hand at the mess. "Xemnas destroyed it upon the retrieval of his heart."

"Why?"

"As a threat, I presume."

"To who?"

"To you."

"Me?" I cry. "_M-Me?_ What did I do to deserve a threat like this? Someone could've gotten seriously hurt."

They all glance at each other apprehensively. "You _don't_ deserve a threat like this, quite honestly," Zexion finally answers. "You've been nothing but an immense help to Xemnas. Rather, it's a matter of what you are that instigated this act."

Each word sits uncomfortably in my chest. I raise my gloved hands into my line of sight, studying them closely. "What…what am I, then?"

A sigh. "You'll have to answer that question on your own."

"O-On my own?" I tear my eyes away from my hands to gawk at the group. "But I don't know anything!"

"Tough." Axel shrugs. "Neither did we."

"You must work towards remembering," Zexion replies, crossing his arms authoritatively. "Simply giving you answers won't help. It's the process that will tie everything together."

My shoulders slouch. "But that could take forever!"

A gust of warm wind slams into my face suddenly as the redhead balls his hands into fists and stomps towards me. "Then stop complaining and start thinking. You're wasting everyone's time with your excuses," Axel growls.

An odd heat fills my head as my own fists clench. "You're not the one who has to start from scratch!"

"I _was_ the one," he shoots back. "All of us were—me and Zexion and Demyx and _Xemnas_—"

"Alright, alright! Jeez!" I throw my hands up even though I don't understand what he means. "You don't have to get all defensive about it!"

"I'm not getting defensive about anything!"

"Yes you are!"

"No I'm _not!_"

"Yes you _are—_"

"Stop it, both of you!" Sora leaps between us, holding out his arms to each side as a barrier. "Fighting isn't going to make Imani remember faster."

Axel glares down at me a few seconds more before whirling around and storming down the street. Sora lets his arms drop to his sides and hurries off to follow him. "Axel, wait! Where are you going?"

With a sigh Riku waves a hand to the rest of us. "Come on. Let's see if we can find something else to jog Imani's memory." The three animals nod, heading down the road more leisurely with Riku.

"Don't take Axel's snappish behavior personally," Zexion advises me as we go after them. "He's just bothered by the fact that you don't remember him at all."

"Well I can't help it," I mutter darkly, glaring holes into the back of the redhead. "It's not like I don't want to remember."

"Axel has never been one for patience."

Slowly I feel my glare soften and my lips twist. "If it means anything, I feel really comfortable being around him."

"Comfortable?" He turns his head to me so I can see his visible eye.

"I-I…I fe…I just…" My tongue freezes in hesitation every time I try to voice my thoughts. "I…"

"Just spit it out."

It's weird. Hearing those words come from Zexion tickles my ears and a laugh explodes from my chest. My stomach clenches pleasantly and my cheeks tug my lips back into a full smile.

"Don't let your introverted nature hinder you," he says, watching me as if I'm crazy.

_Maybe I am crazy. That would explain a lot.  
_

With the last of my laughs I slow into a deep breath and force the words past my lips. "I feel like I can trust him."

_Who am I to think his saying something like that is so uncharacteristic of him? I only met him an hour ago._

"I mean, not that I don't trust _you_ or the others, but…" I trail off awkwardly, shaking my head.

Zexion offers a small smirk before turning back to the road before him. "I'm sure he'll be quite pleased to hear that."

* * *

**Author's Afterthought: **Thank you for reading! Please leave a review!


	15. Something

**EDITED 6/28/2010**

**Author's Comments: **Enjoy!**  
**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts. I own Imani and Aden.

* * *

The group leads me to a hidden alley that looks lived-in; boxes and crates line the walls and a weird pool of light sits in the middle of the room. Everyone stops in front of the pool and turns to me questioningly. "Can she…?" Sora mutters to Riku.

"Can I what?" I prompt, arching an eyebrow.

They exchange glances with each other and Riku points a finger to the pool. "Step on that for a second."

Flicking my eyes from him to the pool and back, I shoot a strange look their way before tiptoeing to the light and carefully setting one foot down on the puddle. I glance over my shoulder unsurely. "Like this?"

"Put _both_ feet on it," Riku corrects.

"Why?" I ask first. "Is something supposed to happen?"

He arches an eyebrow. "What do you think?"

One shoulder shrugs. "I don't know…but something _does_ happen, right?"

"Looks like you'll have to find out when you _put both your feet on it_," he emphasizes with his own shrug.

I frown at him, defiantly stomping my other foot on the pool.

The seven of them watch me closely, uttering not one word. I don't even think they're breathing. It's like they're expecting me to vanish into thin air or something.

"Well?" I say after thirty seconds. "Is something supposed to happen or what?"

"Do you feel anything?" the king asks seriously.

I shake my head and they all grimace, some more audibly than others. "It appears that she is unable to use the light portal," Zexion sighs.

"Great," Axel groans. "She's stuck here."

"At least she can't run away from us anymore." Goofy smiles. "We'll always know where she is."

I blink at his strange statement. _I ran away from them? Why? _

Donald lets out a dejected "aww," his shoulders slumping and his face drooping. "Now what do we do?"

"Well, if we can't bring her to the other worlds, we can bring parts of the other worlds to her here," Sora suggests.

"Like things to trigger her memory?" the king asks.

"Yeah," he nods, smiling brightly. "We can make this work."

"I like that idea!" Donald punches the air with an enthusiasm he didn't have before as a string of silly laughter streams from Goofy.

Riku nods. "Someone will need to stay here with Imani, then."

"I volunteer Axel," Zexion immediately says.

"What?" The redhead jerks back. "Why _me?_"

"Your connection with Imani seems to be the most intact," the periwinkle-haired man explains calmly, crossing his arms. "She says she feels the most comfortable around you."

Heat tinges my cheeks as I watch Axel blink in surprise and turn to me for confirmation. "W-Wait, no I didn't—"

"I believe her words were, 'I feel really comfortable around him. I feel like I can trust him.'" Zexion's eye lights up with a mischievous gleam. "Right?"

I can't do anything more than let my jaw hang without words to utter.

A hand reaches up to scratch the back of Axel's head and his lips curl into a hesitant smirk. "Is that so?"

"H-How'd you remember my exact words?" I want to know from Zexion. "What are you, some kind of _memory-recorder?_"

He flinches and the air suddenly becomes heavy with a strange silence. I scan each person's face, finding shadows filling their eyes as they flit around awkwardly. They almost look as dejected as their painted faces in the stained-glass circle...

Riku recovers the fastest, the shadows in his eyes pushed aside by an assertive light. "In any case," he quickly speaks up, clearing his throat of the heavy air, "we'll split up and go to different worlds to find memory-triggers while Axel and Imani stay here. Sound good?"

"What am I supposed to do with her?" Axel jabs a finger my way quizzically.

Zexion waves me aside, strolling to stand on the light pool. "You can think of something, I'm sure. I'll return soon."

When he comes to a stop directly where I had stood, his body slowly disintegrates before my eyes. I gape at him as his fading fingers play with his bangs and he heaves a sigh. "I expect that you'll show gratitude for my efforts in going back to that rainy city."

Then, he's gone. Nothing but air takes up the space inches away from me. "W-What happened?" I cry, swiping my hand in the area Zexion disappeared from. "How'd he do that? Where did he go?"

"Relax, Imani. He just transported." Riku steps forward to stand on the light pool—no, the _portal._ "I'll head back to Destiny Islands and see if I can find anything there. Keep an eye out for Xemnas."

One by one, they all disappear to different places—Sora to a hollow bastion, Donald to a beast's castle, the king to his own palace, and Goofy to a wonderland—leaving behind promises of quick returns and instructions to "not give up on remembering."

"So I guess it's just you and me for now," Axel sighs, turning to leave the room. "Let's go."

"Go where?"

"To eat ice cream."

* * *

I pinch a corner of the package and hold it before my eyes warily. "Sea-salt ice cream."

"Good. You remember how to read."

"I might have amnesia but I'm not stupid."

"Touchy."

Our legs dangle over the rooftop of a building in the town square. After Axel bought two of these ice cream bars, he brought me here and promptly started eating.

"It's gonna melt if you don't eat it soon," he tells me. "You do _not_ want it dripping onto your coat. It takes _forever_ to get the stains out."

An eyebrow arches as I glance down at my front and then to him. "How would you know something like that? Do you have the same cloak?"

He pauses mid-lick. "I used to."

"Used to?" I repeat, my fingers tearing the package open. "Is there a reason you don't wear it anymore?"

He shrugs noncommittally as he licks the last of his ice cream away and studies the empty Popsicle stick. The corner of his mouth quirks when he reads the word inked on the wood. "Winner," he chuckles.

_A gloved hand…a Popsicle stick…"WINNER"…_

I jerk back and nearly drop my ice cream bar. What was that?

"Hurry up! It's dripping!"

At his shout, I glance at the bar and watch blue sticky liquid inch down towards my gloved fingers. Quickly, I dive in and lick away the drip, recoiling once my tongue registers the taste. "Ugh." I stick my tongue out in disgust. "Salty."

_Grimacing lips slowly curve into a smile. "Sw—"_

"The first lick is always salty," Axel laughs. "After that, it gets—"

"Sweet," I finish in a daze. What am I thinking?

"Like it?"

I nod more in an effort to jiggle my brain to replay that last vision than to answer his question.

"We used to sit up at the clock tower and eat this stuff all the time before Xemnas tore it down. It was kind of like a tradition for us."

"Us?" I mumble around my second lick of ice cream. "You mean you and Sora and the rest?"

Something flickers quickly in his green eyes, but I think the sunset light is playing tricks on my mind. His cheeks pull back into a grin and Axel wags a finger between us. "I mean _us_."

A strange nagging sensation oozes from the back of my head and slowly crawls to the rest of my mind. Suddenly my eyes magnetically trail to the ground and I can't seem to get them to rise back to meet his. "Oh."

"Sometimes Zexion would join us, but only when he doesn't have work or when we drag him away from his books because we know he needs a break," he goes on in a light tone. "He's always been a workaholic, even if he never involves himself physically."

I let the ice cream roll around in my mouth along with his words. "What does he do?"

"He gets paid to label stuff all day long at the local school. Boring."

Humming neutrally, I finally garner the courage to look back at him. Once I do, though, the oozing in my brain plummets to my chest and one word zips right past my lips: "Sorry."

He keeps smiling but he turns away to stare at the view of the city rooftops. "S'not your fault you don't remember."

People smile when they're happy, right? Why do I get the feeling that Axel isn't really happy even though he's smiling? And what's this oozing? There's a name for it…

"Your ice cream's melting."

Hurriedly I lap at the blue ice cream. I think it starts with a "g."

He begins to reach towards my ice cream bar. "If you're not gonna eat that, I will."

_Guilt._

Instead of grabbing the ice cream, though, he grabs my wrist and gives it a slight shake. "Hey. You okay?"

"I've been wondering…Why could they go to different places and not me?" I ask to cover up my train of thought. "Why didn't I disappear when I stood on that light thing?"

His bony shoulder shrugs nonchalantly and he lets go of me, leaning back on the heels of his hands. "There isn't any light in you."

"What's that have to do with anything?" I lick away a drip of ice cream before it touches my glove.

"That 'light thing'—" He pushes off his hands and air-quotes with his thin fingers, "—is a portal that uses the light inside a person to transport him from one world to the next…according to Zexion."

"And I couldn't transport because I don't have light in me?"

"Right."

"So if I don't have light…then I have darkness?"

"No. You don't have darkness in you, either."

"But darkness is the absence of light."

He snorts and mutters to himself, "You sound like Vexen."

I sputter, "Like who?"

"Never mind." He shakes his wild mane like a lion. "You don't have light or darkness."

"I don't understand." I lick away the last of the cold sweetness from the stick and let my hand drop to my knee. "What do I have, then?"

"Nothing."

His answer makes me wonder whether to laugh incredulously or to gasp in shock. "N…Nothing?"

"You're a Nobody," he tells me plainly. "You're made of nothingness. You don't have anything in you—no memories of your past, no complete soul…"

A tendril of something I can't name desperately flails in my chest, followed by another and another…all grasping for something that isn't there…

"No heart."

The writhing in my chest grows more frantic. The stick slips from my fingers and plunges to the ground below. His jaw drops quicker than the stick as he watches it fall. "What're you doing? You didn't check to see if you're a winner!"

My throat goes dry and that weird heat swirls in my head, burning away the ooze—the guilt. "W…What do you…"

Axel arches a thin eyebrow, leaning forward cautiously. "Imani?"

"Wh-What do you mean?" I ask, my eyebrows furrowing and the heat making my voice rise in volume. "What do you mean? What are you talking about?"

_What are these sensations? I don't know what to call them_.

Just the slightest his eyes narrow as if he's trying to search for something in my own. "I'm talking about you," he responds slowly, stretching the syllables.

"But I…I just have amnesia," I tell him, searching intently for some sort of sign that he's not seriously trying to convince me of this farce. "I don't have any memories, sure, but who are you to say that I have no heart or no soul? That's…That's not possible."

"It's not?" he drawls, the phrase sounding more like a skeptical statement than a shocking revelation.

"No," I answer with a slight waver in my voice. Is the heat in my head affecting my ability to talk, too? What _is_ this?

He stares a little longer, humming to himself thoughtfully as if the sound will help him soak in my words better. "Okay," he finally says, shifting around to sit cross-legged facing me. "First off: do you even know what a heart is?"

The tension between my eyebrows disappears as I gawk at him. The flailing in my chest falters. "U-Uh…"

"I'll take that as a 'no.' Secondly," he holds up two fingers, "I said you didn't have a _complete_ soul. There's part of a soul in you, but it's not yours…I think."

I can only gape as he grumbles about how Zexion is never around at the right time to explain complicated matters like this. He soon snaps out of his frustration and goes, "Anyway, third: I know these things because I was a Nobody, too."

I don't understand why this heat is clouding up my brain or why I'm making such a big deal out of all this. It's the first I've heard of this—why do I feel like it's wrong?

At last my voice connects with my brain again. "But I'm _not_ nobody—I'm somebody!" I exclaim. "I _know_ I'm somebody!"

"You _were_ a Somebody," he corrects.

"I _am_ somebody," I growl. "I'm a Somebody. I can feel it."

"Feel it?" Axel scoffs. "_Feel_ it? Where? Where do you _feel_ that you're a Somebody?"

"_Everywhere!_" I throw my hands up in the air. "Just moments ago my head was feeling sticky and oozy and gross and it was nagging me and the goop traveled down to my chest and soaked me until I looked away from you because I felt guilty that I couldn't remember eating ice cream with you and now it feels like it's on fire and it's making my voice get louder and more harsh-sounding and I can't control it and there's this _thing_ writhing in my chest like it's trying to find something to constrict until whatever it grabs explodes and splatters everywhere—"

"Imani—"

"—I felt it when I saw that circle with you and Sora and Xemnas and everyone else in it and it felt so _wrong_ seeing that because something was wrong with that picture and it _scared_ me and—"

"Imani, wai—"

"—I have to _fix_ it! I have to fix that picture—"

Large, warm hands clap my shoulders firmly and he whirls me to face him. "Stop," he commands sternly. "Stop talking."

"Why?" I challenge, nearly nose-to-nose with him. "Because everything I say is _nothing?_ Because I'm a _Nobody_ and made of _nothing_ so whatever I say is _nothing?_"

"You're not making any sense."

"Of course I'm not. Along with being heartless, I'm _senseless_, too, apparently."

"_Stop,_ Imani."

The snarl slices my retort and silences my tongue. I finally get a good look at him and see his eyes blazing with anger and…hope?

"You felt guilty?" he asks, those eyes glittering.

"Uh…" I blink. "Yes?"

His hands squeeze. "You felt _scared?_"

"Y-Yes?" I can feel his fingertips digging in through my cloak. "What's so…Is there something funny about that?"

It seems that there is. He bursts into laughter, throwing his head back and releasing his grip to rake his hands through his spiked red hair. "Y…You…" He can hardly speak between cackles and gasps for breath. "Y…Ima…Imani…"

That cloud of heat in my head returns but it doesn't overwhelm me so much that I raise my voice…yet. "What?" I ask a bit impatiently.

Ever so slowly he sobers up enough to exclaim, "I didn't think you'd actually answer my question!"

"Well then why'd you ask in the first place?" I jab a finger his way accusingly. "And what's so funny about my answer?"

He shakes his head. "It's not funny."

My face twists and scrunches. "You're the most confusing person I've ever met."

"It's not funny," he repeats with a toothy grin. "It's _something_."

* * *

**Author's Afterthought: **Wow, this was a hard chapter to write. Let me know how I did, please! Thank you for reading!


	16. Glow

**EDITED 6/28/2010**

**Author's Comments: **I hope you're having a good summer! Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!**  
**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts. I own Imani and Aden.

* * *

The king is the first to return from his departure, but he's not alone.

"Imani!" a girl with reddish-purple hair cries, throwing her arms around me and squeezing the breath from my lungs. She nearly knocks me off the stool I'm sitting on. "Oh, Imani!"

"Who…Who are…" I gasp while suppressing the urge to push her away just a few inches.

Too late she releases me before I can feel her cringe. "You really don't remember me, do you?" she sighs with a crooked smile.

"She doesn't remember anyone," Axel mutters behind the counter as he replaces a few just-washed glasses to their places on the shelves. "Join the club."

"Imani," the king begins, gesturing to the girl, "this is Kairi."

"Kairi," I mouth silently as I take a good look at her. She's got blue eyes that are a few half-shades lighter than Sora's and a gentle face creased with worry. "It's…nice to meet you again?" I try.

She doesn't seem to be able to answer so she just smiles weakly after a few moments of opening and closing her mouth like a fish. I don't think she's smiling because she's happy, though.

"And this," the king goes on, "is Master Yen Sid."

Only now do I notice the other visitor: a tall man with sharp glaring eyes, a crooked nose, a frown that seems permanently etched into his face, and a balding head.

"Where's your hat?" I blurt.

A loud bang from the other side of the counter erupts in the silent diner. Axel curses under his breath, picking up the glass he dropped and shooting a weird, almost _stunned_ look my way.

I'm not sure what shocked me more: the bang from Axel's dropped glass or the question from my mouth. Kairi and the king seem more shocked at the latter—both their mouths hang open and they blink repeatedly at me.

Master Yen Sid, however, only arches a thick eyebrow. "My hat?" he drawls in a deep voice. "To which hat are you referring?"

I mean to answer that I have no idea, but instead I hear myself say, "The dark blue one shaped like a cone with silver stars and a crescent moon on it."

Those glaring eyes narrow a millimeter or two. He doesn't show any signs of recognition.

"Do you…know which one I'm talking about?" I ask hesitantly.

He startles me by asking, "Do you?"

Despairingly, I shake my head and moan, "No, I don't…I don't know."

Master Yen Sid continues to stare, almost as if he's analyzing me. "Interesting."

The king chuckles nervously, reaching out to grab my hand. "H-Have you remembered anything new since I left?"

Immediately I think of sea-salt ice cream and gloved hands and winners. "I…No, not really…"

"But she can feel."

"W-What?" the king and Kairi cry. Even Master Yen Sid blinks several times.

Axel crosses his arms with a tiny smirk. "She can feel."

"Of course I can feel," I huff at all the smug and aghast reactions. "I don't always know what I'm feeling, but I'm _feeling_. What's so odd about that?"

"You lack a heart, thus you lack emotions," Master Yen Sid's voice rumbles. "You're not supposed to be able to feel."

"How can I not feel something? It's not like these sensations are easy to _ignore_."

"Nobodies lack the ability to feel. They can't feel guilty or elated or scared—that's why they were able to strive towards Kingdom Hearts so relentlessly."

I feel my forehead crease with thought. "But _I_ can feel…Does that mean I'm not a Nobody?"

Those hawk-like eyes peer at me silently.

"And what's Kingdom Hearts? Who was working towards it?"

Time seems to slow down as he studies and searches me. "It's a shame I cannot bring you to my tower what with the train station completely destroyed. I suppose I will have to answer your questions here." Then he turns to the king and to Kairi and tells them, "I suggest that the two of you search other worlds to find memory-triggers for Imani while I speak with her. Our conversation will take some time."

"A-Alright." The king nods, shooting a glance at the girl. "We'll be back as soon as we can."

With a final squeeze the king lets go of my hand and begins to head out of the diner. Kairi, however, pulls me into another tight hug and whispers in my ear, "_Please_ remember…"

When I hear those words, my chest feels like it is being squeezed and my eyelids begin to droop. Light warmth gathers in my irises and I think if I tried to smile, I would fail miserably. I feel so much more motivated to try remembering whatever it is I need to remember just so this girl won't look so sad.

The two reluctantly leave and Axel motions for us to follow him to a back corner booth table. "There are some really bad gossipers who come around sometimes," he mutters darkly. "They always bug me when I'm working so it'd be best if you stayed away from the bar."

I nod uncertainly and slide clumsily into one side of the booth while Master Yen Sid gracefully steps inside the other and takes a seat. "Thank you," he murmurs.

After moments of visibly mentally debating between sticking around to listen and returning to his work, Axel strides away with even more reluctance than that of the king and Kairi. "Just let me know if you need anything," he calls over his shoulder.

I almost want to jump from my seat, grab Axel's wrist, and drag him back here. Master Yen Sid's presence makes the air weigh heavily on my shoulders so that I feel like slouching in shame. I haven't even done anything wrong!

"I must admit," he suddenly says, startling me, "that you never fail to surprise me with your first words upon each of our meetings."

I can't help but give a breathless laugh. "That…must mean something. You don't seem like you'd be surprised by much."

"Hm," he goes, neither confirming nor denying my presumption.

"I mean—not to judge you by your appearance," I spit out. "I just…"

He doesn't _seem_ to be offended. He intertwines his spindly fingers before his face as he props his elbows on the table. "What is your impression of me at this moment?"

I nearly groan aloud. I don't want to answer that. I don't want to offend him—He might…I don't know…cast a spell that makes my clothes catch on fire. Or electrocute me with a bolt of lightning.

But what makes me so sure that he knows how to do such things?

"Answer freely. I'm curious."

I breathe in deeply and try to rearrange my thoughts into sentences that might not make him angry. "You…You seem…powerful…"

"Powerful," he repeats.

"And wise…?"

"Are you asking me?"

"N-No. You seem powerful and wise."

"Powerful and wise."

"And…respected."

"Powerful, wise, respected…" He blinks slowly then says, "Tell me who you think I am."

Uh-oh. Another request that could end in my doom if I don't answer carefully. "A-Aren't we supposed to be talking about Kingdom Hearts and what a Nobody is?" I ask in an effort to avoid possible doom.

"We'll discuss that after you give me an answer."

He said that as if it was the law. I suppress a sigh. "Who I think you are? Like what you do?"

"Whatever answer you find suitable."

"I think you're a…mentor."

Master Yen Sid blinks. "Go on."

No offended reaction must be a good sign. "You…seem to be knowledgeable and the king called you 'master.' I don't know if your power lies in your wisdom or if you actually have powers, but…yeah," I finish lamely. "I wouldn't be surprised if it's both."

He seems to soak in my words and rearrange them like pieces to a puzzle in his mind. "It appears that you are a special Nobody," he concludes.

"Huh?" spills from my mouth. That was a sudden subject-change.

"While it is not my place to confirm your assumption of my being powerful or wise or respected, I can verify that many come to me for advice or knowledge. And yes, I do have powers."

"So…I'm right?" I gape. "But I was just guessing!"

One corner of his mouth budges upward. "I beg to differ. I believe your subconscious harbors memories of your Somebody."

I swallow thickly. That might explain the weird images in my head yesterday.

"Your ability to feel also leads me to believe that you are different." Master Yen Sid peers at me thoughtfully. "Perhaps it is from habit…"

"Habit?" My eyebrows inch closer.

He doesn't bother explaining. "Kingdom Hearts is an embodiment of eternal darkness and eternal light. In the past years, many have worked towards unlocking Kingdom Hearts to achieve great power while others—including Sora and Riku—have fought to keep Kingdom Hearts sealed. No one has succeeded in gaining the power of Kingdom Hearts yet. In the process, however, many have gone missing, many have perished, and many have had their souls ripped apart."

_A hand crushing the helmeted head of a soldier in armor…lifeless eyes staring into nothing with fear…_

"The most recent band of beings who wanted to gain Kingdom Hearts was Organization XIII, a group of higher Nobodies. Axel—" he points to the redhead bartending, "—was one of them. The leader of this organization was Xemnas."

"Xemnas…" I mouth. "You mean the one who destroyed the clock tower?"

He nods. "Organization XIII no longer exists, but each of the members have found their hearts and awakened as Somebodies. Only Xemnas appears to have kept his desire for Kingdom Hearts."

"Wait. How did they suddenly get hearts when they had nothing to work with?"

Master Yen Sid's eyes glow. "They found help."

Something flutters and swells in my chest. "Where?"

"From someone."

"Who?"

"Who?"

"Yeah! Who?" I lean forward anxiously. "Maybe that person can help _me_ get my heart!"

If anything, that glow in his eyes intensifies. "I'm afraid she is no longer."

My eyes widen. "W…What do you mean?"

"You're better off spending your time trying to regain your memories than chasing after someone who no longer exists."

I feel the breath being stolen from my lungs and my shoulders slump. My face contorts into a frown and my eyes droop to the table. I thought there was _hope_…

"Don't look so downcast," Master Yen Sid instructs curtly, the glow in his eyes long gone. "Now, are there any other questions you'd like to ask me?"

As I shake my head slowly, I notice my cloak and gloves. "I woke up in these," I hold up my hands, "and I noticed Xemnas was wearing these, too. Is there a reason we're both wearing the same thing?"

His gaze hardens. "You are both wearing the former uniform of Organization XIII."

Something stops my throat and makes it hard for me to breathe properly. "T-The former…Why am _I_ wearing...W-Was I a member of Organization XIII?"

Several moments pass, but all he says is "Were you?"

"You two finished?"

Before I can moan "I don't know" to Master Yen Sid, Axel slams a hand on the tabletop between us. "I'm done with my shift so I'm gonna take Imani back to her place."

"Very well. We've nothing more to discuss at the moment."

"W-What?" I stand up. "Of _course_ we have more to discuss! I don't remember anything!"

"You know what you are," Master Yen Sid stands and moves out of the booth, "and you've learned much in the short time we've spent together. I believe we've discussed enough for one day."

In a cloud of glitter and smoke, the man disappears. My jaw drops. "He _does _have powers…"

"C'mon, you." A warm hand grabs my upper arm and Axel hauls me to the exit. "You draw too much attention to yourself with that gaping mouth of yours."

* * *

**Author's Afterthought: **Please leave a review! Thank you for reading!


	17. Plan

**EDITED 6/28/2010**

**Author's Comments: **Yay! It's the weekend! Hope you're enjoying your summer. Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!**  
**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts. I own Imani and Aden.**

* * *

**

"Why are we back here?" I ask Axel as he pushes open the creaky door of the old mansion.

"I thought of something you need to see," he says, ushering me inside and leading me up one of the staircases to the wing opposite the white room I woke up in.

The musty air tickles my nose. "What is it?"

"You'll see."

He opens door to reveal a study with a strange staircase in the middle of the floor. The contrast between the classic and futuristic styles in the floors above and below the staircase startles me, especially the banged-up computer screens in the corner.

_Thrashing…screaming…panting…sparks and glass flying everywhere…_

I take extra care not to speak with any waver in my voice. "Where does this lead?"

"Just be patient, okay?"

I humph, muttering under my breath, "Says the guy who accused me of wasting everyone's time."

A threatening edge in his voice lines his words. "What was that?"

I follow him down the stairs, my footsteps thudding against the fiberglass. "The sooner I remember and get my heart, the sooner I can fix that stained-glass—"

"_That _again? Jeez." He rolls his green eyes and shoots a glance over his shoulder at me. "Why do you keep going back to that? What makes you so sure that getting your heart and fixing the stained-glass circle will solve everything?"

"I'm _not_ sure," I shoot back, glaring at him, "but it's the only plan I have that makes a _little_ sense so I'm going with it. Is there a problem with that?"

He stares at me, narrowing his eyes for a few seconds. After a while he shoves his hands into his jacket pockets and trudges further into the weird hallway. "…repeat…annoying 'compromise' crap…"

"You got any better ideas to solve this mess?" I ask with a sigh to cover up my confusion at the snippets of his mutterings.

"No, but really, this isn't my mess to solve. I've already got my hands full trying to figure out how to stop Xemnas from destroying everything and becoming ruthless ruler of all, just like Sora and Riku and Zexion and the others."

"Then why bother trying to help me get my memories?"

"Because it's the only plan we have that makes a _little_ sense so we're going with it." He whirls around right before a doorway, bends down to my level, and leers at me. "Is there a problem with that?"

"Don't use my words against me," I snarl.

"Too bad." He smirks, tapping his temple with one finger. "I got it all memorized."

I freeze. Images burst before my eyes and I feel the wind gush out of me as if I've been slapped in the face…images of giant keys and yellow orbs and magic and darkness and smiling green eyes with tattoos underneath them and a finger tapping his temple as the wild redhead tells me I've got it all—

"Memorized!" I cry.

Axel jumps back, nearly falling on his bum in surprise. "Whoa. Give me a warning next time you decide to explode in my face."

"Memorized!" I grab his arms and shake them excitedly. "I had it all memorized!"

He gapes at me, one eyebrow slowly arching up quizzically. "Uhhh…What?"

"I…I remembered everything! I knew everything! I had it all memorized!" I let go of him to rake hands through my hair. "I remembered everything! All the—the battles a-and the pink hearts floating away after the Heartless were terminated by Sora and Roxas and Xion and—and the mermaids! The _mermaids!_ I remembered the mermaids and the lions and pixie dust—"

"Wait. Slow down, Imani." Axel claps his hands on my bouncing shoulders. His wary eyes hesitantly glimmer with hope. "Y…You _remember?_"

My breath catches in my throat. "I…I _did_ remember…When I was a Somebody, I remembered. I had everything memorized when I was a Somebody…right?"

"Go on," he prompts instead of agreeing or disagreeing.

"But…But I wasn't always _there_…" My eyebrows furrow and I frown. "I don't remember actually being at the fight between you and Roxas when he left that big floating castle…I wasn't, right?"

His red hair waves as he shakes his head. "No, you weren't."

"So…How do I know these things? How I can say for certain that these things I remembered happened when I was never there to see them personally?"

"Try to think," he encourages, shaking my shoulders slightly.

"I…" I huff. "_You_ know why, right?"

"It doesn't matter whether I know or not. "Try to remember."

I shut my eyes and will the memories to come flooding back, grinding my teeth and fisting my leather-covered hands…To no avail, though; all I see is a blank slate.

"I'm stuck." I groan and sigh at the same time. "Just when I was getting somewhere…"

He lets go of me, giving his own defeated sigh. "At least you remembered a really important part. I didn't think you'd get to that so quickly…not before I showed you _this_, anyway."

I tilt my head to look behind him. "Show me what?"

The whiteness of the room behind him is blinding. I can't see walls or the floor or the ceiling. All the whiteness blends perfectly and seamlessly. Axel steps inside and walks towards a large strange egg-like contraption in the center of the room. Parts of the egg have unfolded in the front like petals and a staircase leads up to the center of the egg.

"Know what this is?" he asks, his voice echoing in the vast room.

My face scrunches as I study the thing. "N…No…"

"You sure?"

"Am I…_supposed_ to know what this is?"

"Are you?"

I sigh. He's turning my questions around to me just like Master Yen Sid did.

Wait. Master Yen Sid told me to talk about _impressions_. Maybe if I just focus on what impressions I get instead of trying too hard to dig around in my empty mind, I'll subconsciously remember what this thing is. It worked with him, and there's no way I can offend a large, lifeless egg.

"What're you thinking about?" Axel calls, standing a couple meters away.

"This thing…" I murmur, stepping closer to get a better look. "Was something inside it once?"

"What makes you ask that?" he asks neutrally, his voice leaving no trace of a definite answer.

"The stairs," I reply and wave a hand to the set of steps, "but whatever could've been inside probably wasn't big enough to fill the entire egg since the stairs look like they wouldn't support anything larger than a human."

"This feels like recon all over again."

"Recon?"

He ignores me. "What else?"

A faint cloud of heat—_irritation, _Axel said it's called—swells in my head. I eye him nastily before heading up to the top stair and peering down to the bottom of the egg. "Wow, this thing is _deep_. Why do these stairs stop in the middle here? And why aren't there any stairs leading to the bottom?"

"You tell me."

The cloud's heating up. Axel said that means I'm getting angry, and I can't disagree. "The only way in or out of this egg are these stairs," I reason through gritted teeth. "Whatever was inside this egg must have been able to at least float up to these stairs."

He yawns behind me. "Why would anything be in there in the first place?"

"I don't know!" I cry, whirling around to hiss at him. "If you're not here to help me remember—"

_Opening eyes…two men in black…smoke settling over my skin…"She's beautiful—"_

"Imani."

I blink and the images cease. "S-Sorry," I mumble, glancing at Axel's narrowed eyes. "Did you say something?"

He watches me warily. "What was that just now? You zoned out mid-sentence."

"I…" I swallow. "I saw something."

"You saw something," he repeats, an eyebrow arching.

"Two men wearing this," I stretch my arms out to either side of me to show off my coat, "and they were watching me…I think."

"Two men."

"Yeah."

"But…" He searches to his left and right as if to look for the two men. "You mean you remembered something?"

"Maybe?" I shrug, stepping down the stairs in a slight daze. "I don't know. I can't tell if I'm remembering or not."

Axel shoves his hands into his pockets again, looking down at me. "What else did you see?"

I stop at the foot of the staircase and gaze down at my hands. "Black smoke curling around me," I mumble. "It materialized into these clothes."

"Okay…Anything else?"

"Someone said, 'She's beautiful,' but I don't know who the person was talking about. I think it was one of the men who said it…he had a deep voice and I think he was looking my way when he said it…"

"Did you recognize either of the men?"

"Everything flashed too quickly for me to really see."

"_Finally_."

I jerk my head up to the open doorway and find Riku heaving a sigh and placing one hand on his hip. His other hand grasps a tattered backpack that looks full enough to burst any second. "We've been looking all over town for you two," the silver-haired boy groans.

"We?" Axel and I parrot.

He steps aside and turns his head to something behind him. "Stop gawking at everything. She's in _here_."

"Alright, alright! I'm coming!" a foreign, almost whiny voice huffs.

"You brought someone?" Axel asks.

Before Riku can answer, a man with dirty-blond hair styled in a weird half-mullet, half-Mohawk pads inside in flip-flops and beach clothes, his mouth open and his wide blue eyes roving all over the place. "Whoa…" he breathes in awe. "So this is where Imani fainted…"

From my peripheral vision, I spot Axel do a double-take at the man. "D-Demyx," he sputters.

"Demyx" whips his head in our direction and his jaw seems to drop even lower. If his eyes widen any more, I'm afraid they'll pop out of his skull.

_He was in the stained-glass circle, too.  
_

"IMANI!" he cries, dashing my way and nearly knocking me over as he wraps his arms around me, squeezing experimentally as if he has a hard time believing I'm actually here.

"H-Hello," I gasp out.

"You're really a Nobody?" he demands, releasing me from his hug and holding me at arms' length. "Xemnas really stole your heart? Man, it's like you're back to square one…only worse!"

As I do my best to catch my breath, my face scrunches up with confusion. "What?"

"Idiot!" Axel yanks him away from me suddenly, pulling him several feet away from me. "She's supposed to figure that out on her own!" he hisses with a sharp whack to the dirty blonde's head.

"Xemnas stole my heart?" I ask, ignoring Demyx's cry of pain. "What do you mean I'm back to square one? What makes this worse than square one? What's square one?"

Blue eyes flick to mine. "You—"

"DON'T!" Axel barks. Demyx jumps with a squeak. "Don't say anything!"

"What is with you?" I demand of the redhead. "Why won't you answer my questions? I'm never going to get anywhere if you keep your mouth shut!"

"You're supposed to figure out the answers on your own! You won't get your heart any other way."

"Says who? Is there some law that says I can only get my heart if I remember on my own? What difference does it make if I get a hint or two?"

"It makes _all_ the difference!" Axel turns to me fully and snarls, "I should know! I was a Nobody! I had to get my heart on my own!"

"But you had help!" I throw my hands in the air. "_I _helped you! Who was the one who figured out how you could get your heart in the first place? _Me!_"

"You didn't tell me about my missing memories!"

"Because I didn't know what all of them were! The memories I have revolved around Kingdom Hearts! You weren't always involved with it!"

"Well I don't know all _your_ memories—"

"You saw every one of them when you were nonexistent and nagging me in my dreams—"

"Guys!"

Red spikes slap my cheek as we both glare up at Demyx. "WHAT?"

"J-Just wait a second!" He holds up his hands defensively. "Riku told me that you didn't have any memories, Imani!"

"She…" Axel trails off. I glance up at him and find him unhinging his jaw and widening his eyes with each passing moment. "Whoa," he whispers, staring at me in utter shock.

"What? Did I say something weird?" I run the argument through my head several times…and slowly my own jaw drops. "Oh!"

"See?" Demyx exclaims, equally alarmed and waving his hands all over the place. "How'd you know that your memories only revolved around Kingdom Hearts or that you had any memories of Axel in the first place or that you were the one who helped us get our hearts?"

"I don't know!" A huge grin breaks out across my face. "But isn't it _great?_ I'm making progress and soon I'll be able to fix the stained-glass circle!"

His expression abruptly changes from excited (when I mentioned making progress) to dumbfounded (when I mentioned the circle). "Wha?"

"The stai—"

"Later, Imani." Axel nudges me roughly. "It looks like Riku brought stuff for you."

I look my right and nearly crash my nose into Riku's elbow. He holds up his backpack and begins to unzip it. "You'd better remember _something_ from all this stuff I had to carry…"

* * *

**Author's Afterthoughts:** Please let me know how I'm doing! Leave a review...pretty please? Thank you for reading!


	18. Tea

**EDITED 6/28/2010**

**Author's Comments:** Thank you, reviewers! I always love hearing from you! There are a few things I'd like to address...

1. There **won't be any pairings** in this story, no matter how much Imani and Axel argue or how strange Riku's memory-trigger strategies may be (as you'll see below). I've chosen to steer clear from any romantic implications when writing this story. I think it kind of draws away from the adventure aspect. If you like to read more romantic pieces, I suggest _Memoirs of the Emotionally Stupid _(Axel/Imani) or _Benefriends_ (Roxas/Namine, Axel/Imani).

2. I'm **re-editing _The Kismet Scribe_** this summer. I'd really appreciate if you offered your comments on the new version!

Okay, thanks! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts. I own Imani and Aden.**

* * *

**I pick up the green fruit again, peering at it close enough to see all the fibers on its skin. "There's something special about this fruit…"

"Uh huh," Riku nods patiently as he squeezes and stretches a mini marshmallow between his fingers. "Special how?"

"I don't know. This was in my dream last night, though, so I figured…"

"Just guess."

With a little effort, I force my tongue to verbalize my strange ideas. "I think…you're not supposed to eat it—I mean, you probably _can_, or…I don't know. It seems like it probably symbolizes something deep if you give it to someone…"

Riku's silver hair waves gently as he shakes his head and brings the squished marshmallow to his lips. "Are you sure you're not just pretending to not to know what you're talking about?"

"Am I right?" I quirk an eyebrow, setting the fruit down.

"Yup." He licks away the marshmallow from his fingers.

"Alright, Imani!" Demyx grabs my shoulder and gives it a slight shake. "You remembered _something_!"

"But I still don't get why you brought a bag of marshmallows and some pancakes with you, Riku," I sigh.

"Sora will be disappointed when he hears you didn't remember the bonfire," Riku mutters. "But as for the pancakes…"

I can only blink as he suddenly grabs me and pulls us down onto our backs, wrapping his arms around me.

"What the hell?" Axel exclaims.

"Close your eyes, Imani," Riku instructs, his warm breath puffing against the back of my head.

"Get your ha—"

"Chill out, Axel! I'm sure he knows what he's doing!"

I don't see what the big deal is or why Axel won't stop shouting so I shrug and shut my eyes. As soon as I shut them, I hear children laughing and waves crashing instead of Axel's yelling. I smell pancakes and saltwater. His arms tighten slightly.

_"Shh…You're okay, Imani…"_

I jerk out of Riku's embrace as the words ring in my head. Fingertips pick at the back of my brain, nagging me relentlessly. Who was that? Who said those words to me? Why does that voice sound so familiar?

"What?" Axel demands as he kneels next to me and grabs my shoulder. "Did you remember something?"

"What're y'all doin' in here?"

No! I bury my fingers into my hair and pull frustratedly. Who was it that said those words? Who? Who? _Who?_

"I was looking all over for you guys!"

Who? Who? Why does that voice sound so _familiar_—

"Imani?"

I glance up at the newcomer, Goofy. My mind releases what remained of the memory and my fingers slip out of my hair. "H-Hi," I murmur dejectedly.

He plops down between Demyx and Axel and lets his sack drop noisily to the floor before him. "Hope you're thirsty!"

His hands dive into the sack and emerge like rapid-fire with rose petals, cups and saucers of all sizes and shapes, several teapots, and a container of pale cookies with purplish jelly dollops. My eyes bug out more with every item he presents. "What's all this?"

"Pfft…"

I whip my head towards Axel and Demyx. Their faces redden with each passing second and they clap their hands over their mouths, their shoulders shaking…as if they're trying to keep themselves from laughing.

"What?" I frown.

They shake their heads frantically, but the action makes their tightly-pursed lips come undone and a few guffaws slip out.

"_What?_" I ask again.

Axel elbows Demyx hard. "Sto-ha-ha-ha…Stop laughing…"

Demyx elbows him back. "_You_…_You_ stop…heh…"

Sighing, I turn to Riku who's grinning like a purple-striped cat…whatever that means. "_What_ is so _funny?_"

That grin grows wider. "Scrunchie Marchie."

Those two words send Axel and Demyx exploding into laughter, rolling on the floor and nearly kicking me and Goofy. "SCRUNCHIE MARCHIE!" they scream. "Scr-Scruh…HA HA HA HA HA!"

"S…Scrunch…Huh?"

"Here." Goofy shoves a steaming cup in my face and the liquid nearly sloshes onto my coat. "Drink up!"

I take a whiff of the tea. It smells like peaches and flowers and I see piping teapots and swirling colors and merry unbirthdays and—"OH! The rabbit with the crooked teeth and the short guy with the big nose and the tall green hat!"

"The March Hare and the Mad Hatter." Riku nods.

_"They're irritating me. Leave this place now."_

I take the cup from Goofy slowly while running the words through my head. "Who said that…?"

"Who said what?"

"I hear a voice telling me what to do…It was complaining about how irritating the March Hare and the Mad Hatter were and telling me to leave."

"Do you recognize the voice?"

"_Leave of your own will and I won't take over your actions."_

"N…No…but it kept commanding me and threatening me." I turn the cup around in my hands, letting the warmth seep into my skin. "It was like the voice's owner had some sort of control over me…"

"Really?" Riku asks…only the way he says the word makes his question sound like he's being smug about solving a riddle no one else could.

I suppose that tone means I'm remembering correctly, even if I can't understand the snippets I see. Resisting the urge to arch my eyebrow at his behavior, I bring the cup to my lips and take a sip of the incredibly fragrant liquid. My eyes close as my taste buds dance. It's _delicious_.

My ears fill up with deafening silence. I pry open my eyes. Axel, Demyx, Goofy, and Riku seem to have frozen in time, their eyes trained on me carefully.

"Um…" I clear my throat and take another sip…and did they just lean in? "I don't see who I'm talking to. I'm not even sure I'm really _talking_ to the voice, but I can still hear it in my thoughts…like the voice is in my head." With another sip, a thought hits me. "Was I _schizophrenic?_"

"No."

"Yes."

No one blinks at the contrasting answers except me. "So which one is it?"

"You heard a voice in your head—"

"But you were thinking to yourself."

Tilting my head and letting my jaw hang doesn't make the spooky connected answer or the fact that they're still staring at me any more understandable. "So…I was threatening _myself?_"

"Pretty much."

I lift the cup and take a sip. Was I a weirdo or what?

They inch closer. It's so quiet I can't hear them breathing. Their eyes dart from mine to my teacup. I take a sip. They inch even _closer._

I slam empty cup down. Finally the four of them flinch out of their frozen states, leaping away and huffing and puffing. "Why are you staring at me as if you expect me to burst into flames?"

Clutching his chest, Demyx hisses to Axel, "Bursting into song would've been more likely…"

I glare at him. "I can hear you, you know."

"S-Sorry," Goofy apologizes for the group and rubs the back of his head bashfully. "We didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

"Oh, so is staring down someone when she's trying to think a custom here?"

"Imani, relax," Riku tries to placate as Goofy flinches. "You're getting a little too wound up about this. We just wanted to see if you reacted to the tea."

My retort dies on my tongue. "The tea? What…Is there something special about this tea?"

The four glance at each other. "Uh…Yes?" Demyx shrugs, earning him a sound bop on the head a la Axel.

"Really?" I lean forward. "What is it?"

A low groan emerges from Axel while Riku begins to play with his fringe. "It's hard to explain…"

"Then show me," I suggest, thrusting the cup into Goofy's face. "Fill this up and let someone else drink from it."

As Goofy carefully takes the cup from me, Axel, Demyx, and Riku exchange wary glances _again_. Goofy nearly spills tea over himself when the three shout "YOU DO IT!" and point to the guy sitting to their left sides, forming a triangle.

I quirk an eyebrow. The tea tasted fine. What could possibly be bad about it?

"Me?" the three squeak in unison, whipping their heads to their right sides. "Why not _you?_"

I'd laugh if I didn't think their behavior was so weird.

"Don't worry, guys!" Goofy declares, shoving cups towards the three guys. "I brought enough for everyone!"

They gape at the cups, their eyes bugging out and their jaws unhinging. I blink. "Go on. Show me what the big deal is."

They all moan collectively, gingerly taking the cups and bringing them closer to their faces. "I am _so_ going to regret this…" Riku groans.

"Hurry up."

"On three," Axel mutters reluctantly. "One…"

"Two…" Demyx whimpers.

Riku glances my way, dread clouding his eyes. "Three."

They down the cups' contents in one swallow.

* * *

**Author's Afterthought:** Looks like I'll have to re-edit this story, too. Don't expect a new update anytime soon; I'll be busy trying to improve the previous chapters. I'm sorry! Thank you for reading! Please leave a review!


	19. Threat

**Author's Comments:** Hello! I've finished all my re-editing! If you've got some spare time this summer, I'd really appreciate it if you could read what I've been working on this past week and a half:

1. _The Kismet Scribe_, the story preceding this one (major sap deductions and a more prominent role for Aden, among other revisions),

2. _The Letter_, a very short post-_Kismet Scribe_ that fits better with the revisions, and

3. the previous chapters of _The Moirai Zealot_, although not much has changed (I just did a little cleaning-up).

Thank you for waiting patiently for me to finish! Hope you enjoy reading!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts, especially not the awesome lines from the game (noted with an *). I own Imani and Aden.

* * *

"Will you stop that?" a soaked Axel groans for the eighth time. His darkened locks splatter Goofy with water as he turns to glare at me.

I nearly trip over a tree root as I follow the three dripping wet guys to the town's cracked wall. "I can't help it," I mumble dazedly, shaking my head in a stupor. "That was the weirdest thing I've ever seen."

"Too bad we can't say you were worse," Demyx sighs. "You didn't try to eat Goofy's hat."

"Or smash the paopu fruit against your head," Axel growled, his cheeks tinged with embarrassment at Demyx's jab.

Riku indignantly glares at Axel. "Or imitate a starfish."

"Hey! Starfish are _cool,_" Demyx declares, pointing a finger at the other two tea victims as they roll their eyes. "At least I was the one who snapped everyone out of it."

"By complete accident!"

"You'd still be chewing Goofy's hat if I hadn't started wondering if starfish could breathe without water!"

"Cut it out, you two!"

Goofy chuckles as I ask, "Why didn't I go loopy like you guys when I drank the tea? Is this another nothingness thing?"

"Probably," Riku mutters darkly. He ducks through the hole in the wall. "You don't have any light or darkness to screw up your head."

Before following Riku, Axel meaningfully leers at me. "If there's anything I _don't_ want you to remember, it's _this._"

"I can't control things like that," I sigh. Demyx squeezes past and hits his head on his way through the wall. "The image of you stuffing his hat into your mouth is burned in my brain."

A loud, sharp laugh erupts from the other side. "Hey Axel! What the hell happened to you?"

I stoop down to crouch through the hole. Three teens and a kid (I think) saunter over. Two of them are smirking and the other two appear uninterested. (I'm not entirely sure, though. That kid's face is hidden under the straw hat he's wearing.)

"Who's these weirdos?" the one with the beanie and the sleeveless trench coat wants to know, eyeing us arrogantly.

Axel waves one hand to gesture to each of us while his other hand starts squeezing out the water in his hair. "Riku, Demyx, Goofy, Seifer, Rai, Fuu, Vivi."

"You skipped Imani," Demyx hisses, raking his fingers through his deflated hair.

"They know her already," Axel hisses back. "She used to live here, remember?"

"You guys are, like, drenched, y'know!" the buff teen with the sportswear (Rai? Axel waved his hand too quickly) guffaws. "You guys look like idiots, y'know!"

I frown. That's got to be the most insulting "nice to meet you" I've ever heard. It wasn't even directed at me yet I still feel ticked off at those words.

"What were you guys doing? Swimming with your clothes on?" Seifer taunts. "That's _stupid_."

Next to me, Goofy bends down to whisper in my ear, "Gosh, they're kinda mean, aren't they?"

"I didn't think you were the type to associate with guys like these, Imani," Seifer goes on, pointing a finger at Riku and Demyx and Goofy. "I thought you were more _mature_ than this."

A puff of heat builds in my head. What's _that _supposed to mean?

"Axel's cool, but really? _These_ guys? One's a doofus, one's a girly man, and one's got the weirdest hairdo."

My jaw tightens and that heat in my head intensifies. "You think you're better off? You're hanging out with an idiot jock who overuses the phrase 'y'know,' a kid half your age, and an antisocial who never says more than one word at a time," I shoot back. "And your shirt is two sizes too small."

The two guys sputter while the girl (Fuu?) widens her red eyes and the kid takes a step back. My back as if bugs are crawling on my skin under the stares from behind me.

"W-What did you say?" Seifer finally growls, his fists clenching.

"You heard me. I won't stand down if I hear someone insulting my friends," I declare. "Commit it to memory."

Before Seifer or Rai can say anything, Axel steps in front of me, shielding me with one arm. "Don't take it personally, guys. Blame it on Xemnas."

"You mean that guy shooting red lasers, y'know?" Rai asks, his eyes lighting up. "We saw him, y'know."

Xemnas! The sleeping guy in the circle! A smidgen of my anger subsides. "You saw him?" I gasp, pushing Axel out of the way. "Where?"

Seifer scoffs. "Why should we tell you?"

Just like that, the weakened heat in my head coils tighter and tighter and increases tremendously, threatening to burst. "It's really important that I find him. You have to tell me where he is or else everything will come to ruin."

He doesn't seem to take my words seriously. He crosses his arms and snickers. "I don't feel like cooperating with destiny."*

The coil snaps. Suddenly, his haughty smirk melts into a shocked gape. "You don't have a choice," I growl. "You aren't the one harboring memories overflowing with emotions far beyond anything your puny brain can comprehend. You aren't the one faced with the task of ensuring everyone _has _a destiny. _I _am."

"I-I—"

"How dare you turn a blind eye when you have not had your whole world blown apart by fate's cruel ways? How. _Dare_. You?"

"Imani, stop. Trying to beat some sense into him isn't worth—"

"I had everything taken away from me in one moment—my sense of purpose, my identity, my _heart_—"

"Stop, Imani."

"I was the _Kismet Scribe_. I was one writing destiny and it _turned_ on _me_. Who are you to think you are somehow qualified to be exempt from facing consequences or tasting ruin?"

"_Imani._"

A solid shake of my shoulder from Riku's hand jerks me from my rant to realize I've been hissing in Seifer's face with my white-knuckled fist clenching the front of his shirt. His frame trembles but he stays frozen in place.

"Let him go," Riku commands quietly.

I take a deep breath and growl through gritted teeth, "You're _not._ You're no better off than the rest of us. I don't ever want to hear you say that line again. _Ever._"

"I-I won't…" Seifer whimpers. "I promise…"

"You'd better not." I release his shirt, stretching out my cramped fingers and backing away slightly. "I'll know if you do. Now where did you see him?"

He backs away hastily until he bumps Rai and Fuu, his chest heaving and his eyes locked with mine in fear. "T-The old train station."

"How long ago did you see him?"

"H-Half…Half an hour—"

I dart past the group and run to the rubble mountain at the top of the hill. Soon I hear the rapid footsteps of Riku, Axel, Demyx, and Goofy following behind…and they pass me in no time.

Riku spits his hair out of the way as he looks over his shoulder at me, a quizzical light in his eyes. "You're so slow, Imani," he says without insult or huffing.

I narrow my eyes at him, my eyebrow threatening to twitch in irritation. "_You_ try running in boots and leather up a hill."

_Silver hair…a blindfold…black leather…thick soled-boots pounding against stone…_

"I _have._" He knits his brow and slows his pace to jog (jog? _Jog?_ I'm practically _sprinting_) next to me. "Looks like you lost your strength and speed along with your heart."

"The major duration of her existence as Maxiin was spent without physical activity in her room, collecting memories."

Sweat trickles down my back as I turn to my left and find Zexion power-walking (great—he's not even _jogging_) to keep up…or so _I_ can keep up. "W-Whe…When did…"

"I just got here," he answers.

"So it wasn't until after she became Imani that she was able to use her memories to fight," Riku deduces.

"Correct. According to Vexen, Imani's Somebody's nervous system produced a special hormone called hypersynapticone. This hormone allows superlative muscle imitation according to her memories of our fight techniques."

"So…Imani's a plagiarizer?"

My eyebrow twitches and I almost stop running. _What_ did Riku call me?

"Technically, no, since plagiarism implies a lack of credited resources. She admits to crediting her memories of us, so the term 'copycat' would probably be more suitable."

"Eh…ex-_cuse_ me?" I puff. "I was…I _saved_ you guh…guys…_several_ times…because…I _copied_ your—"

"Xemnas…"

We all halt at the top of the hill, right before the rubble-ridden courtyard. Standing atop the debris is the black-cloaked, long-silver-haired man with his back turned to us, his shoulders relaxed and his soft chuckle seeming to echo on the wind.

"So we meet," he drawls easily, stretching out every word like taffy. "What. A. Coincidence."

_A noncommittal shrug…blue eyes darting away…"…leaving too…was coincidence…"_

Several shoulders tense up and fists clench. "He's taunting us," Axel growls.

As I desperately try to catch my breath, I push past Axel and Riku and Demyx, dragging my feet to the foot of the rubble mountain. "Xemnas."

I hear the grin in his voice. "Maxiin."

Being called a plagiarizer and a copycat was already annoying and I can kind of understand why…but being called "Maxiin"? Today was already going downhill thanks to that Seifer guy but oh, _this_ is the last straw.

"Give it back," I demand, my voice wavering slightly with anger.

His head perks up a half-inch and he asks amusedly, "Give _what_ back?"

I narrow my eyes and grit my teeth. "You _know_ what."

He chuckles, the sound sliding into my ears and down my spine, making the hairs on my neck stand on end and my nerves sizzle and pop.

"_LOOK _AT ME WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU!" I scream, partially out of anger but mostly to block out the unnerving sensation.

An ominous silence booms after my words as he takes his sweet time to turn around. Immediately his bright, narrowed, irritatingly _confident_ eyes lock with mine, skipping over everyone else standing around me.

"Give. It. Back," I snarl, barely able to keep my voice in control.

He doesn't blink. Thin lips curl into a smirk. "Isn't this what you wanted?" he asks slowly. "Didn't you want to be free to worry about yourself, to _live _for yourself?"

I freeze. _"What brings—" Hawk-like eyes—_

_ "—want it to stop—"_

"Free to go out and find the answers to your questions?" Xemnas' deep voice continues to coo.

_"Be grateful—"_

_ "I'm sorry—"_

_ "—really do look alike—"_

"Free to see places more colorful than a stupid white bedroom and breathe air that doesn't _reek_ of rain?"

_—Shattering kneecaps be worth the escape?—tie my bed sheets—Startled blue eyes—_

_ "—like to draw?"_

"Didn't you want to be free of bearing the burden of everyone's emotions and memories? To start anew and write your _own_ story?"

_—scribbles and lines and confusion and frustration—_

"To create your _own_ memories?"

_A new beginning starts with a new mentality. Smiling lips. "That's right."_

"Stop."

A warm hand grasps my shoulder again and Xemnas breaks his gaze to regard whoever it is touching me. "Number eight," he nods.

"The name's _Axel_," he retorts. "A-X-E-L. Got it memorized?"

The hand squeezes tightly and something in my head snaps like a plank under the weight of an especially large pirate. I blink rapidly to clear my head from the sudden trance-like tidal wave of memories flooding my conscience.

"I'd have thought your heart would have softened your attitude."

"I was just about to say the same thing about your obsession. You really think you can handle Imani's power?"

"I was the one who created her. I know more about her than she did about herself."

"Oh please!" Axel scoffs, throwing up his free hand. "You didn't know _squat_ when she was struggling with her darkness!"

Xemnas' smirk widens. "Yet here I am, the very _heart_ of her powers residing in me."

Gently I pry Axel's fingers from my shoulder. "You're wrong," I grimace, shooting him the deadliest glare I can muster. "You might have taken my heart and my memories and my strength and everything else you stole from me, but know this: You are _not_ the Kismet Scribe. _I _am."

Unfazed, he arches an eyebrow analytically. "Your memories are returning. However, it appears that you've forgotten an important detail."

"What?" I spit.

His goldenrod eyes gleam maliciously and his smirk widens into a full-on feral grin. "You _were_ the Kismet Scribe. Now, you're _nothing_ but a mess of unknown emotions and hopeless goals."

The words stab my gut repeatedly, forcing me to swallow away my tremors in my voice box before speaking. "Fine. I'll give you that. I'll admit that I'm not strong enough to face you…not right now."

He speaks as if patiently listening to a child rant about naïve dreams. "You imply that you will become strong enough in the future."

"I will," I declare. "I'm going to fix everything. I'll fix that stained-glass circle and you'll never make the mistake of trying to become me again."

"Empty words." He shakes his head, extending a hand to his left. A rift in the space breaks open and dark miasma explodes. "Just like every other promise you've spewed out of that quivering mouth of yours."

_—dark devilish eyes—short hair—obsidian slicing—cackling—_

"I _kept_ that promise," I snap. "You have your heart now, don't you? Yours _and_ mine. Don't make the mistake of underestimating me when it seems like I'm at my lowest point."

For a moment, he stares down at me like a king looking down at a commoner and murmurs, "I wouldn't dream of it. I've learned from your mistakes."

With that he steps through the black hole and the whole thing vanishes, leaving me to glare at the empty space where he just stood. How did he do that? I wonder if I can do that, too…

"Imani?"

Enough. I'll think about that later.

I whip around to the guys behind me. "I promise you: Even if he breaks every bone in my body or destroys all the worlds or becomes the most powerful being ever, I will not give up until I fix that stained-glass circle."

Demyx tilts his head, his jaw hanging and a "Wha-a-a-a?" expression on his face. Zexion and Riku sigh. Goofy scratches his head in confusion.

Axel, however, actually says something. "What's the deal with this stained-glass circle, anyway? What's that have to do with anything?"

"It has everything to do with everything! Once I fix it…uh…"

"Once you fix it?"

I mull over the idea. What's supposed to happen when I fix the circle? What'll happen if I don't fix the circle? What does this have to do with Kingdom Hearts or Xemnas or anyone else?

"You have no idea what you're talking about."

"I _do_ know what I'm talking about!" I insist. "The stained-glass circle is wrong, so I have to fix it! Simple!"

Axel flinches quite visibly and Zexion's and Demyx's eyes dart to him, cautious shadows darkening their faces. "That's _not_ s-simple!" Axel exclaims. "That's incredibly vague!"

"It is simple!"

He flinches again. I blink.

"Simple."

Again. His jaw clenches.

"S-S-S-Simple."

"Will you stop saying that word?" he snaps.

"Why? It's the only word that can describe my plan—_simple!_"

"Imani, stop." Demyx steps forward and slides between me and Axel. "Let's, uh, let's focus on getting you strong enough to fight Xemnas, okay?"

"But how?"

A pause. "You're asking _us_ how?" Demyx moans. "You're the one who—"

I shrug uncertainly. "I-I know, I know…I was just saying the first things that came to mind—"

"You were bluffing?" they all shout.

"No!" I shake my head so quickly I start feeling dizzy. "I was…thinking ahead!"

A collective groan erupts from the group, complete with rubbing away headaches and sighing in dismay. Axel trudges back down the hill. "C'mon."

"Huh? Where are you going?" Demyx rushes to catch up with him.

"The bar. I'm hungry and Zexion still needs to tell us what he found out."

Slowly they trickle out of the courtyard. I sigh, watching the group walk away. If only they'd seen their faces. Maybe then they'd understand.

* * *

**Author's Afterthought: **So _hypersynapticone?_ That doesn't really exist. I made it up. What do you think? Please leave a review! Thanks for reading!


	20. Weak

**Author's Comments: **Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of the awesome lines from the games (noted with an *). I own Imani.

* * *

"Her memory is returning far faster than I'd anticipated," Zexion mutters, fingering his bangs absentmindedly. "This, of course, is a positive development. However, my greatest concern is that her body won't be able to keep up with her memories."

Five of us huddle closer around the table as Zexion takes a sip of his water. If not for the din in the bar, I'm sure I would've heard the cranking and the creaking of the turning wheels in his head.

Riku's brow wrinkles. "What do you mean?"

"As I explained earlier," he sets his glass down, crossing his arms and preparing to launch into a detailed explanation, "Imani's Somebody produced a special hormone that allowed her to successfully mimic our fighting techniques and use her knowledge to develop combinations of her own according to her physical structure. From what I've seen earlier today, I cannot be certain the body she has now can produce such a hormone, thus her strength and agility may be very limited."

I sink in my seat a little. He's referring to my utterly embarrassing lack of stamina.

"Perhaps her memories can trigger her brain to produce the hormone…" He flicked his visible eye in my direction. "Otherwise you'll need to become stronger through disciplined training."

The old-fashioned way, huh? Why do I feel like grumbling when I hear that?

Axel leans back to stretch out the kinks in his neck. "So you met up with Vexen?"

"He sends his regards. He's taken shelter in an abandoned building not far from the ruins in order to continue his studies in complete privacy."

"What's he studying?"

"Currently he's studying a new breed of creatures that keeps appearing throughout the city." His jaw twitches as he recounts, "I happened to see one during my conversation with him—it had a different emblem than that of the Heartless."

"The Unversed?"

All eyes dart to me in silence. I can't tell if the silence is out of shock or out of something more ominous. "Perhaps," Zexion says. "Vexen's studies are still in their early stages."

"So…if they last appeared when Imani had control over her extreme darkness, then could they be appearing because Xemnas is in possession of that darkness?" Riku asks.

Zexion nods resignedly. "That is the theory."

"So Xemnas is making Unversed in order to overrun the worlds and build his new utopia?" Demyx shivers. "Jeez. That's a scary thought."

"An even scarier thought is that the plan seems to be working."

We all turn to the new deep voice from behind me. As I crane my neck, though, an arm wraps around my neck and a hand ruffles my hair harshly. "O-Ouch!" I cry.

"C'mon Imani! You gotta get your memories back so you can crush that loser Xemnas!" a bubbly female voice declares. The hair-ruffling increases tenfold as the voice bellows, "By the power of my awesome ninja skills, I command your brain to remember, remember, remember!"

"Yuffie, stop that. You're going to give her a headache."

"Remember! Remember! Re—gah!"

Finally the hand and the arm disappear. Goofy guffaws, Axel snickers, Riku snorts, Demyx chuckles, and Zexion humphs.

Rubbing my neck and combing my fingers through my disturbed hair, I turn around in my seat to eye the hair-ruffler—a petit short-haired girl being held back by a busty long-haired, leather-clad woman—menacingly. "Yuffie…" I growl.

"Hah! See?" the girl points a finger my way as she struggles to release herself from the woman's hold. "She's remembering stuff already!"

"She heard Aerith call you by your name," the woman sighs.

My eyes roam over the rest of the new party of people—a woman wearing a pink dress and tan boots with her hair in a long braid and a brunet man dressed in leather and fur with a scar on his face and a strange sword and lion pendant around his neck. "Hello, Imani." The pink-clothed woman smiles at me. "How have you been?"

Her calming voice sounds like the one that told Yuffie to stop bothering me. I'm assuming this is Aerith. "H-Hi."

"Where's Sora?" Riku wants to know.

"He's traveling to other worlds," the man answers. "Said he needed to find more memory-triggers."

A few of us sitting at the table hum in acknowledgement while I study the four who just came. "So," Goofy starts, "recognize anyone, Imani?"

I open my mouth to answer uncertainly but a yell from outside the bar cuts me off.

"What was that?" the woman who'd been restraining Yuffie cries, releasing the girl to turn around and watch the door.

"That's what I meant," the man sighs, stomping towards the exit with Yuffie and the women. "The plan seems to be working."

Chairs scrape the wooden floor as we scramble to follow them, weaving between tables and people and bursting through the door. Screeches and fearful screams bombard my ears. My eyes widen as I spot countless strange creatures of different colors treading, hovering, and stomping everywhere—all, though, have red narrowed eyes and a strange sigma somewhere on their bodies.

"Training starts now, Imani," Zexion mutters darkly, a thick tome suddenly appearing in his hand.

Everyone draws out all sorts of weapons from thin air and launches into the fray. Only Aerith and I stay rooted to our spots. "Why aren't you fighting?" I ask her.

"I'm better suited for healing, not destroying." Her eyes narrow slightly as she asks me, "Why aren't _you_ fighting?"

Who is this woman? Those orbs seem to pick away every defensive wall (walls I didn't realize I had put up) and see my very core…maybe. I _think_ that's what she's looking for.

Her gaze intensifies earnestly with each passing second as if she's searching for something she hasn't been able to find yet. "I don't have a weapon and I don't have much strength…" I mumble quietly, half-wary of breaking her concentration.

"Then fight with what you _do_ have," she instructs, placing a hand gently on my shoulder. "Fight with your will to protect and to restore."

I blink repeatedly. How did…

"That's why you're here, right?" she asks. "That's why you aren't running away or hiding? That's why you're trying to remember?"

Something spreads in my chest. Something slightly warm.

Her smile grows and she squeezes my shoulder a bit before hurrying off to join the fighters before I can find the words to respond.

I stare after her, the chaos around me buzzing softly in my ears like a far-off crowd at a Struggle competition. What is this stuff in my chest? What did she do to make me feel this?

It feels…nice.

A corner of my lips curves up in an uncertain smile as I take a few steps back until I hit the door, tearing my eyes away and retreating into the bar. I'll ask Axel later.

The dim lighting forces my eyes to blink and readjust before I scan the area intently while ignoring the odd looks aimed my way from the customers…

Aha! I dash for the counter, pushing aside the bartender and snatching all the liqueur bottles and shot glasses I can carry and stuff in my cloak pockets. The bartender is still recovering from my harsh shove by the time I dash back out. I'm sure I'll find a way to pay the bar back…eventually.

The heels of my boots squeak as I skid to a halt and reroute to the kitchen. A _knife _would be great!

I burst through the kitchen doors, searching for a glint of sharp metal…There! The cooks sidestep my rampage as I skid to a halt in front of a counter with a particularly large knife sitting innocently on top. As best I can with both arms full of bottles, I reach over to grab it…when I spy a strange contraption sitting in the corner, shiny and unplugged.

A…waffle maker…?

_"—taste exactly like Aden's—"_

_ "—can't get to her—getting her to come back—"_

I yelp. My fingertip got nicked by the blade, a bead of red springing forth on the skin.

Shaking the images out of my head with a grimace, I grab the knife and hurry out of the kitchen. When I nearly break down the door to get out, I scamper towards the slope leading to a second level of the city, deciding the strip of connecting bricks between the ledge and the buildings would be a good place to set up my bombing station. The creatures seem to ignore me as I kneel and drop all the bottles and shot glasses.

"DANCE WATER DANCE!"

My head shoots up at the sound of roaring water just to see liquid pillars rocket to the sky, knocking back a few of the monsters and hitting my face with a bit of spray. In the midst of it is Demyx, an oddly-shaped guitar-like weapon in his arms.

_It's a sitar,_ a little voice in my head corrects. It then laughs dryly. _I wouldn't have believed he'd just become a Somebody a few months ago what with the way he's hammering out damage—_

I shake myself out of my weird train of thought. What am I thinking?

A cry makes me whip my head back to Demyx. He's been knocked back into a wall of one of the buildings, his sitar skidding across the ground to a halt a few feet too far away for him to reach. A bunch of hovering Unversed drift closer…

I snatch a bottle of liqueur and launch it at an Unversed, praying it'll hit. The bottle contacts the back of the Unversed's head with a loud smash, the glass and alcohol raining down at Demyx's feet. "Don't you dare get any closer to him!" I threaten at the top of my lungs.

The Unversed I hit doesn't appear fazed at all. It, along with the other creatures, whirls around to size me up with those narrowed red eyes as if trying to determine whether I'm worth fighting or not.

Slightly offended (well, more than slightly), I grab a few more bottles from my stash. "Question my power, do you?" I growl, hurling them one after the other as the cloud of rage expands in my head, covering up all sense of calm. "I am _sick_ of everyone underestimating me."

With less-than-perfect aim, I manage to land a few solid hits with my makeshift missiles, reveling in the sight of the Unversed doing their best to stay upright while levitating. I smirk, reaching down for more…

If I had a heart, I guess a moment like this would be when it would drop to the pit of my stomach. My fingertips brush the dusty brick beneath me. A hasty glance downward and I realize I've run out of shot glasses and liqueur bottles. Another hasty glance to the Unversed and I realize I've proven my worth as an opponent…or an annoyance, at the very least.

"Run, Imani!" Demyx shouts.

As the Unversed swoop over to me, I bend down to quickly grab my knife and hold it out in front of me in one hand like a dagger. My leather pants and coat squeeze my body a bit as I crouch down in anticipation. The moment the Unversed hover within six inches of me, I swing my blade to slice, bouncing on the balls of my feet and dodging their long thorn-ridden flailing limbs. A couple of close swipes nick my sleeves and my cheeks and force me to stumble back more than I'd like.

I curse under my breath, rolling out a vine limb's way. I should've gotten a bigger knife.

As I begin to stand up, something wraps around my waist. Thorns dig in as it constricts and almost tears holes into my coat. A loud screech rings in my ears when I flip the blade's angle in my hand and thrust it into whatever's holding me from behind. The thing releases me and I leap to my feet, twisting my body to slash—

When the thing goes up in flames and poofs out of existence, small green beads and chunks of munny exploding into the air.

I stop dead. Before I know it, all the Unversed surrounding me have burst into flames and disappeared, raining down beads and chunks in their wake.

"You okay, Imani?"

I whirl around. Axel jogs up to me carrying a circular spiked disc in each hand. "Y-Yeah. Thanks."

"No wonder Xemnas kept you locked up back then," Axel sighs, tossing a disc in the air and catching it absentmindedly. "You'd have been _annihilated_ within seconds if you ever came across Sora."

I'm about to ask what he means by "locked up," but I realize now isn't the time to ask about details like that when he side-steps in front of me to block a nosedive from another Unversed with his spiky-thing. "There's only so much you can do with a kitchen knife," I sniff, gripping the blade tighter.

"I'm not sure having a different weapon would make a difference in your case."

"What was that?" I growl.

"You lost your strength and your memory of using any weapons. Having another weapon probably won't make a difference." He grunts as he launches his discs at an advancing Unversed and destroys it on the spot. "Got it memorized?"

My eye twitches. The nerve! "I can stab you in the back right now if I want."

"You're saying I'm wrong?"

"I—"

"Cut it out, you two!" a voice—Riku's?—shouts at us from a distance. "Fight the Unversed, not each other!"

Shooting a final glare at Axel's back, I spin on my heels to face a couple of Unversed crawling closer. Once again I crouch into a ready-to-pounce position, the knife pointed in front of me. "We'll test your theory later."

A pause. "Why not test it now?"

One of my knees gives out and I nearly tumble to the ground. "Huh?" I glance over my shoulder at him incredulously. "_Now?_"

"Yeah." One shoulder shrugs. "We'll switch."

"But I only have a _kitchen knife_. You're okay with that?"

"I've got magic, too." He turns to glance at me, a fine eyebrow raised and a strange light in his green eyes. "You never know. Eternal Flames could jog your memory a bit."

I feel my uncertainty being sold to the possibility of getting some memory back. "It's worth a shot," I decide, turning back around and adjusting my grip on the knife so that it lies flat on its side on my palm. Relief rushes down my legs as I stand fully from my crouch. "Switch on three. One…"

"Three."

Fighting the urge to roll my eyes, I toss the blade, watching from the corner of my eye as it spins in midair, and turn while catching Axel's discs by the bars connecting the spikes. At the same time, Axel hands the discs over to me and whirls to catch the knife between his teeth, a feral laugh echoing around the blade.

The moment my hands grip the warm handles, my mind bursts with images of flames and crumbling pillars in a desecrated ballroom. My skin tingles with the thought of intense heat licking my body as I picture myself swinging my arms furiously, launching the spiky wheels—_chakram,_ that voice in my mind amends—at a monster hovering over me.

"Rubble bath," I mutter subconsciously.

A snort erupts from behind me. "Stop daydreaming, Imani!" Axel half-laughs. "I'll take back my chakram if you don't start fighting!"

Cocking my arms back, I surge forward and attack at any Unversed I come across, swiftly jumping on rooftops and across buildings and even scaling walls. The wind in my hair, the heat in my hands, the rush of tearing things apart…

My mind itches at the sensation of fingertips tickling the back of my head. It all seems a little familiar…

A shout dispels the finger-scritching. Unversed of all types block all exits and cover every inch of space in the sandlot. The brunet man from earlier and a man with blond spikes swing and shoot with long blades at the Unversed surrounding them.

As I dive in to join them, exhaustion weighs down my limbs and pain sears my sides and clenches my lungs. My body can barely keep up with my will to fight off the never-ending stream of monsters. Zexion wasn't kidding when he hinted at how weak I am. I have to do something to get rid of all these monsters...

_ "I think I liked it better when they were on my side."*_

My eyes widen at the image of Axel—

"Think you can handle this many?"*

I glance to my left to see the man with the fur-lined jacket holding a long silver sword-thing out in front of him. His lips arch up in a light smirk.

"Well…" the blond-spiked man to my right trails off quietly, a different-shaped sword in each hand, "might be tough if one more shows up."*

Despite the return of the finger-scritching and my disappearing strength, I let out a breathless, smile-less laugh. "Then that'll have to be the one I take care of."*

"What?" they both grunt, their clothing rustling as they turn the slightest to look at me. "You're fighting, too?"*

"Duck," I command lowly, releasing the chakram and bowing my head.

The chakram revolve around me, drawing flames from thin air as I curl into myself. Without waiting to see if they obeyed, I growl, heat pooling in my chest and circulating throughout my body all the way to my fingertips and toes. The energy builds and builds and builds until I can't keep it in any longer, letting out an ear-splitting scream and releasing the energy from my body.

* * *

_"You're…fading away…"_

_ "Well, that's what happens when you put your whole being into an attack. You know what I mean? Not that Nobodies actually _have_ beings…right?"*

* * *

_

"…ni…mani…Imani!"

I flinch as the call scrapes my ear canals and force my eyes open. Bright green eyes hover above me, red hair fanning out around a pale face like rays of a sun. "Axel?" I try groggily.

He heaves a sigh. "What were you thinking, trying to pull a stunt like that?" he growls, those eyes narrowing. "You could've…"

Tearing my gaze from him, I lazily scan the sandlot, a sense of accomplishment inflating in my chest as I see a definite absence of Unversed. "It worked, didn't it?"

"Imani," he grabs my shoulders, "you could've—"

"Died," I finish for him, wincing at his grip. "I know. I'm supposed to be fading away or something. I saw you fading away right after I passed out."

He stares at me for a moment and then sits back on his bum, rubbing his face with a hand tiredly. "I don't get why you aren't."

"It's 'cuz I'm not you. I'm the Kismet Scribe." I arch an eyebrow and offer him a smirk. "Got it memorized?"

Axel peers at me through his fingers, his own smirk growing on his face. "Don't get cocky. Can you move?"

I freeze, taking note of the way my entire body feels like it's hardened like cement. "Uh-oh…"

"Right." He grabs my shoulders again and pulls me up. Searing pain burns my entire body as he moves me to sit against a wall, dragging me by my upper arms and ignoring my cries of anguish.

"Ow-ow-ow-ow!"

"You brought this on yourself."

"Ouch! That really hurts!"

The stone wall hits my back and he releases me. My arms fall limp at my sides and my chin hits my chest. I squeeze my eyes shut, hissing through my teeth at the aches in my body. Axel sounds like he's running off somewhere, but another pair of footsteps approaches.

"Here."

With some effort, I lift my head to see a glass bottle filled with liquid in front of me, the dim sunlight reflecting off its surface. My eyes rise a few inches higher to see that the blond man is holding it out to me.

"Drink," he murmurs, shaking the bottle slightly. "It'll help you get your strength back."

_Overcast skies—dusty window—"I'll be fine."_

I nearly groan aloud as I shoot a glare at my deadweight arm.

"Need me to—"

"No," I quickly interrupt. "I'll do it."

The man—I still can't place his name—merely blinks, holding the bottle out closer to my hand. I watch through squinted eyes as my arm slowly—painfully—rises to take the bottle from him. As soon as I grab hold of it, my arm falls into my lap and I heave for my breath.

_"Imani might not be."_

My other arm rolls into my lap and my fingers slowly unscrew the stopper, letting the glass cork fall between my legs.

"You sure you—"

"I'm _fine._"

Not missing the slight chuckle, I clench my jaw as I work to bring the bottle to my lips, tipping it…

_"For Imani, then."_

Immediately I want to spit the liquid back out. The super sweet taste makes my stomach clench up and my throat squeeze in a gag. I swallow the contents as quickly as I can and let my arms fall back to my lap the moment the last drop slips in. The syrupy texture sits heavily on my tongue and at the back of my throat. "What is this?" I ask, my voice thick and slightly distorted from the liquid.

"An elixir."

My chest rises and falls with the deep breaths I take to keep myself from throwing up. I probably would've remembered that taste right off the bat if I had taken an elixir before. Despite the nasty taste, the weight in my body is beginning to lift off.

I look to the man. "Thanks…Cloud."

A corner of his mouth twitches up as he bends down to hook his arms under my back and my knees.

* * *

**Author's Afterthought: **Please leave a review! Thanks for reading!


	21. Dizzy

**Author's Comments:** I totally forgot to upload this yesterday. I'm sorry! Hope you enjoy reading!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts. I own Imani.**

* * *

**I openly gag when the stench from the glass bottle held in front of me slips in through my nostrils. "_Another _one?" I groan. "I've already had three!"

"You used a ton of energy today," Demyx says in a don't-argue-with-me tone. "The more you drink, the faster you'll recover."

"This stuff tastes _horrible,_ you know."

"I know. It's an acquired taste, but it's worth putting up with, right? You've got enough strength to lift your arms now."

I sigh. Grudgingly, I snatch the bottle from him and yank out the stopper, shoving the rim of the bottle to my mouth and grimacing as I down the whole thing. "Happy?" I gasp the moment I finish, slapping the bottle back into his hand.

He stares wide-eyed at me before breaking into a grin. "That wasn't so hard, now was it?"

My eye twitches. The Kismet Scribe has been reduced to a kid stuck in bed being mothered by _Demyx_, of all people.

_Reduced from what, though?_ _Who or what was I when I was the Kismet Scribe?_

"I'll be right back," Demyx calls over his shoulder as he dashes out of the room, leaving the door ajar and allowing the aroma of a home-cooked meal (a la Aerith, my other volunteer caretaker) to waft inside. Though having to house a few extra people in this small apartment did irk me at first, I suppose the company won't make me feel as lonely.

I tear my eyes away from the doorway and reluctantly let them roam around the room. Every time I step inside this room I get the urge to switch off the lights and shut my eyes so I won't have to see anything. Emptiness eats away at my stomach and claws at my chest when I see the rumpled pale green bed sheets and the clothes spilling out from the dresser in the corner. The pair of well-used trainers sitting near the door seems to watch my every move. The stack of books lying near the bed pleads to me.

It's like they _know_ I don't recognize anything. They know I don't feel at home here like I'm supposed to. They see how I wait until Axel or Zexion leaves after either one of them drops me off before sneaking out to sleep on a rooftop under the stars or in an alleyway…anywhere but here.

What really gets to me is the pile of curled papers sitting on the bedside table. The writhing tendrils in my chest flare up and the hairs on the back of my neck stand on-end. My nerves tingle and make simple movements like walking and lifting my arms jerkier and uncontrolled. All the papers have the face of a floppy-eared dog scrawled near the edges. I haven't found the will to pick up one of the papers to really examine it, to uncurl it and discover what might be written on it, to even risk _touching _it to turn on the lamp sitting on the same table.

A soft knocking brings me back from my thoughts. "We brought dinner," Aerith says, walking in with a platter of pot roast while Demyx follows close behind with a folding table tucked under one arm and a basket of rolls in the other. "Are you hungry?"

Despite lacking any appetite, I nod. "That looks good. I should be able to get rid of the elixir taste with that."

The woman laughs gently as Demyx unfolds the table and places it over my lap. "The effects are worth the taste, I can assure you," she says, putting the platter down. "You'll be back on your feet in no time…Is something troubling you, Imani?"

I glance up at Aerith's soft, incredibly perceptive eyes.

"Speak your mind," she bids me, serving food onto each of our plates. "We're your friends. Feel free to say whatever you wish."

_"Your friends are the people who unconditionally love and support you. They're the ones who sacrifice willingly for you without thinking twice."_

Fingernails pick at the back of my head and my brow knits together. That voice again. Who's voice is that?

"Imani?"

Stifling down a sigh, I push aside the issue with much effort and let my mouth run as I pick at a piece of meat with my fork. I do exactly as she instructed: speak my mind. The words roll out so quickly I can't find any breaks to actually eat. By the time I fall silent, my mouth is dry and my food has gone cold.

Aerith sets her fork down. "Though none of us can provide you with all the answers, we'll do all that we can to help you at least remember who you are and what your purpose is. From there, maybe you can piece together a solution that will solve everything. What do you think, Demyx?"

"Who, me?" He points a finger at himself, eyes wide as if he's been caught for zoning out during class by the schoolteacher. "I…I think you're right." He shoots me a grin. "And I think everything boils down to stopping Xemnas."

"For now, we should worry about taking things one step at a time." Aerith smiles and grabs my hand, giving it a light squeeze. "You find you travel far even if the process is slower than you'd like it to be."

I sigh, managing to quirk my lips into a reluctant smile as that weird warmth in my chest returns. She's right. They both are, no matter how uncomfortable or powerless I feel.

"Hmm…" She turns to look over her shoulder at the mess that is the dresser of clothes. "Maybe a change of attire will help."

* * *

The next morning when the three of us meet up with the rest of our group—Axel, Riku, Zexion, the scarred man Leon, the blond swordsman Cloud, the busty woman Tifa, and the zealous girl Yuffie—in the sandlot, I earn a bunch of smiles and smirks. "Now _that's_ more like it!" Yuffie cheers, clapping a hand onto my shoulder and putting the other at her hip. "Now you don't look like an obsessed darkness psycho!"

"Uh…" I glance down at the clothes Aerith made me put on—the sneakers that were sitting near the bedroom doorway, a pair of knee-length stretchy shorts, a light tank top, an opened button-down shirt, and a pair of fingerless gloves—and arch an eyebrow at Yuffie. "Thanks?"

"She means you look more like _Imani_ now," Tifa clears up with her own bright smile.

"Oh." I nod slowly, hoping the movement will shake away the wooziness I felt when I first unzipped my coat and exchanged it for these new clothes. My body is slowly adjusting to the lighter-weighing clothes on my body. I can only assume the lack of weight is what's making me a little dizzy. Either that or I'm still weak from yesterday.

Demyx stretches his long arms above his head. "So what's the plan for today?"

"We'll train while we're waiting for Sora and the others to return with more potential memory-triggers," Leon announces, crossing his arms. "I don't want another 'exploding Imani' incident to occur the next time we have to fight the Unversed."

_Or Xemnas,_ I add to myself.

"While it can't be helped that Imani was not assigned a physical weapon to use when she was a Nobody with Organization XIII," Zexion picks up after Leon without missing a beat, "we must focus on training her so that she can at least defend herself without having to resort to drastic measures such as that of yesterday."

_Strengthen the weakest link so it doesn't have to drag the rest down, he means,_ I sigh to myself. _At least he said it nicely.  
_

"Is it alright for Imani to train so soon after recovering?" Aerith asks worriedly. "She could hardly stand earlier this morning."

"We'll push her without breaking her," Leon dismisses. "Her stamina will spike tremendously. She'll be facing off against the least aggressive of us first and then she'll work her way up towards most aggressive."

I stare pointedly at Zexion. His gaze sharpens. "You'll be fighting _Goofy_ first," he sniffs.

Before I can blink and mull over my wrong assumption—I heard Axel and Riku snort at the statement—I'm pushed to one side of the sandlot by Yuffie while Goofy takes his place on the opposite side, his big shield positioned in front of him. My eyes clamp shut for a moment as I regain my footing and will away the wooziness.

"Something wrong, Imani?"

"N-no," I lie, prying open my eyes and forcing a grin onto my face. "I'm fine."

"Let us know if your dizziness gets worse," Aerith says.

"You ready, Imani?" Goofy calls from the other side of the lot.

I glance at the group leaning against the wall, holding up my empty hands. "What am I supposed to fight him with?"

Leon shrugs disinterestedly. "Get creative."

"Here I come!"

Whipping my head back to Goofy, I let out a shout as I dodge out of the when he charges at me full-speed. "What do you mean, 'get creative'?" I demand.

"Use your brain. Xemnas didn't take that away from you, right?"

I growl, dodge-rolling Goofy's stampede. Pain presses at the backs of my eyes as they slowly refocus. Did I hear Axel snort again?

"Make use of your surroundings," Riku instructs. "Use whatever's around you to help."

As I dash away from Goofy, my eyes dart left and right for something I can use. Benches sitting along the edge of the lot, a few crates piled against a wall…

Hm. The crates might help.

I run to the little crate mountain, jumping to the uppermost one and launching myself back out towards the lot with a push-off from the wall with my foot just as Goofy halts at the crate pile. I land lightly behind Goofy, slapping my palms against the sides of his head right below his ears and finishing off with a solid kick to his back. The shield-bearer crashes headfirst into the pile of crates, smashing the wooden boxes with a loud "oomph!"

As I huff to catch my breath, I glance over my shoulder to my observers. Their mouths hang open and their wide eyes stare—well, everyone's except for Cloud's and Leon's. "Well," Leon blinks, "that was…"

"Creative?" I suggest breathlessly. My head's throbbing.

He smirks right before I shut my eyes against the swirling sandlot. "A pretty good start. Yuffie, you're up."

"What? _Me?_ I'm less aggressive than the _bookworm?_"

I exhale sharply, force my eyes open again, and begin apologizing profusely to poor Goofy and helping him wriggle out from the mess. "You okay?" I ask, dusting off his clothes.

"Yup!" he guffaws. "You got me!"

"But you're not gonna get _me!_"

The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end and my skin tingles. I leap to my left, dodging a harsh swipe from Yuffie's big star thing. "I'm not ready!" I shout, running as far away from her as I can and pressing the heel of my palm against my sweaty forehead.

"The enemy doesn't wait!" she cries. "Hai-yah!"

Over and over again she swings and slashes that giant sharp star, appearing in sudden clouds of smoke merely a foot away from me. I can barely keep from being sliced or tumbling to the ground. How can she be called the second least aggressive fighter in our group?

"You've got to start getting on the offensive," Leon coaches. "Use what you've got to knock her down."

Wearily my eyes dart around the sandlot for some form of leverage against Yuffie. I doubt the jump-and-stun method I used on Goofy will work; the girl's senses are too sharp. I pat down my clothes for something to throw at her…

_Hm? What's in my pocket?_ I reach in and my fingertips brush a grainy, dry substance. _Sand?_

"Come and get it!"

Smoke envelops me from behind. Blindly I whirl around, throwing a handful of sand into what I hope is Yuffie's face. At the sound of her distressed cry (I guess I aimed correctly) I dash behind her, grabbing her wrists and bending her fingers to force her to let go of her star thing. I hold both wrists in place behind her back with one hand while my free hand dives in to tickle her sides.

She shrieks in laughter, wriggling around in vain. "S-S-Sto-ha-ha-ha-ha! Stop! Ha-ha-ha!"

"That's enough, Imani. You beat her."

Releasing her wrists, I stand and offer a hand to help her up, staggering as I straighten and pull her along with me. My head...

"Guess I'm up next," Tifa announces cheerily, striding past us and stretching her arms. "Get ready 'cuz I'm not going to hold back on you, weaponless or not."

A faint groan erupts in my dry throat. I can't keep my eyes open for more than a few seconds and my legs wobble precariously beneath me. How am I supposed to survive this?

"Are you alright, Imani?" Aerith's soft voice calls.

"She's fine," Leon answers for me. "She's just getting warmed up."

"Good luck, Imani!" Yuffie claps me on the shoulder before skipping off.

Well, Tifa doesn't have a weapon…Maybe she won't be as challenging—

"Let's go!" she cries, punching her fists together and creating sparks between her knuckles.

…Crap.

She charges forth, drawing her fist back and pummeling it down inches from where I stand. I barely leap out of the way, wincing as the ground ripples like water and gives in to form a crater where her fist made contact. Even when I roll away to create distance between us, my skin tingles from the energy in her punch.

"Oh come on!" Axel calls like a spectator watching a sports match as I dodge another mean punch. "You can do better than _that!_"

I twist my body at the last second and a shiver races down my spine as Tifa's fist brushes my arm. My discombobulated head can't come up with a retort to Axel. "Jerk," I manage to growl. "Jerk, jerk, _jerk_."

"Leon, look at her," I hear Aerith say urgently. "She can barely _stand_—"

Tifa's fist lands haphazardly on my shoulder when I miscalculate my dodge, sending me tripping over my feet. Quickly (_sluggishly_) I duck my head and curl my body to soften the fall, rolling to my feet while massaging my shoulder. Once again Tifa sprints towards me with a fist cocked at the ready—

_I have to stop this.  
_

—and I side-step the punch, grabbing the wrist of her passing arm and yanking it down. She flips onto her back and lands with an "oomph," her long dark hair flying everywhere. For a second I stare down at her wide, shocked eyes and marvel at how successful my idea turned out…

Then I stumble over my feet and hightail it to the farthest edge of the lot_. _That was _so_ beginner's luck. I'm doomed.

"What the hell are you doing? You should've at least hit her while she was down!"

Tifa's footsteps grow louder, beating the ground in time with the pounding in my head. When I reach a wall, I nearly collapse against it, pressing my forehead to the warm wood and cursing mentally. When will the pain _go away?_

"Oh no you don't!" A hand grabs my upper arm and jerks me back. An uneasy stickiness coats my stomach as I watch her draw her fist back once more, but this time sparks and aura sizzle and jump in her closed hand.

"Stop."

Tifa and I both freeze, the aura quickly dissipating from her fist as we turn to look at Leon questioningly. "Stop?" Tifa repeats uncertainly.

"Imani has shown she has good reflexes and was able to bring you to submission momentarily," he says, adding with a critical glance my way, "despite running away rather than making the most of it."

A sharp exhale of disbelief whooshes from my lungs. I press the back of my hand against the bridge of my nose. What could I have done? _Slap_ her?

Tifa releases my arm and pats me gently on the head. "You did well. I'm proud of you...Are you okay?"

Peeling open my eyes, I shoot what I hope looks like a reassuring glance at the woman. Her eyebrows inch together and her frown deepens. She doesn't look convinced.

Aerith sighs. "Leon, _please. _She's trained enough for today."

Black seeps in from the edges of my vision. Tifa's hands clutch my shoulders just as Leon reluctantly consents with a grumbled "fine" and as my eyes slip shut.

* * *

**Author's Afterthought: **Please leave a review! Thanks for reading!


	22. Smile

**Author's Comments: **Hello! Super short chapter here, but hope you still enjoy it!**  
**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Kingdom Hearts. _I own Imani and Aden.

* * *

Rustling clothes and quiet murmurings gently coax me back to consciousness. The throbbing in my head isn't so gentle, tugging a groan from my throat.

"Is she awake?"

My eyebrows twitch. That's a new voice.

"She appears to be awaking."

_That_ voice sounds familiar, though. "Zexion…?"

"How do you feel?"

"Better," I mumble, rolling my head on the pillow towards the voices. "Not as dizzy."

"When did you start feeling dizzy?" the new voice asks.

"Um…when I changed my clothes…"

"That explains it. The Organization coats were designed to shield our nonbeings from extreme light exposure. She was exposed to light too quickly."

With much difficulty I peel back my eyelids. A green-eyed man with long blond hair tied back stands next to Zexion, peering down at me through smug, half-lidded eyes. "You're…Vexen?" I try.

He nods. "Very good."

My eyes lazily look from one man to the other. "Do either of you know how I can get rid of my dizziness?"

"By becoming naturally accustomed to being around sources of intense light," Vexen answers curtly.

I arch an eyebrow. Sources of intense light? Such as what?

He arches an eyebrow of his own. "Somebodies."

A sigh whooshes from my lungs.

"Your recollection process is going along quite speedily, Imani. As long as you work diligently to keep up your pace, there isn't anything more you can do."

I close my eyes against the pangs of pain in my head. "Can I ask both of you something?"

A pause. "If you wish."

"Besides all the stuff about losing my power and my memory, am I different than I was when I had a heart?"

A longer pause."I don't believe we are qualified to answer your question," Zexion murmurs. "However, it is unlikely that of us will be the same after this, which isn't necessarily _unwanted_. We're all growing wiser and closer to each other because of this."

I nod slowly, opening my eyes once the pain lessens and allowing a small smile to take over my lips. That has to be the most Somebody-like sentence I've ever heard Zexion utter...but he probably wouldn't want to hear that. "Just wondering."

Suddenly, behind Zexion and Vexen, Riku and Sora enter the room. "Hey guys." Sora waves and peeks around Vexen to get a look at me. "Hey, Imani. Thought you'd still be asleep."

Seeing Sora's contagious smile fuels my own into brightening a tad. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Two days," Riku replies.

Sora nods and counts off with his fingers. "I just came back from Agrabah, Atlantica, and Halloween Town."

My smile falls. Something sticky coats my churning stomach at the mention of "Halloween Town" and my nerves spasm. Ugh...

"Did you find anything?"

Sora's grin sinks into a frown. "I found Xemnas."

The men straighten up and I furrow my brow. "Where?"

"In one of the graveyards in Halloween Town. He didn't fight me but he left behind a horde of Unversed—" he glances at Riku for confirmation which he gets in a nod, "—for me to deal with." Sora turns his blue eyes to me, that smile of his quickly lighting up his face again. "I heard you trained. How'd it go?"

My smile doesn't return so easily. "I survived."

"Of course you did. You're too tough to keep down for long. Anyway," he turns to Zexion and Vexen before I can argue, "Donald and the king are back, too. I met up with them on my way here."

"Where are they?"

"At the diner. I'm actually here to get you two so you guys can go eat. We were going to stay here to look after Imani but…"

I force a corner of my mouth to lift halfheartedly. "Let's all go so we can all eat together," I propose, slowly pushing myself up and swinging my legs over the bed.

"You sure you're up to it?"

"I'll be fine."

Still, Zexion grabs my upper arm and guides me to my shoes, helping me keep my balance as I slipped my feet inside. His loose grip keeps me upright as I follow the group out of the apartment and into the quiet street.

"Did you bring back anything?"

"Bath oil from Jasmine."

"That's it?"

"I sent Leon and the rest to you. What else was I supposed to bring? A corpse?"

The bell tinkles as Riku pushes open the door for us. Customers sit scattered around the diner save a long table running through the middle of the room near the booths. "There they are," Sora says as he points a finger to the group sitting at the long table.

I shuffle my feet after Sora. As we near the seated group, they fall silent. The hair on my arms and neck bristles under their gaze and I feel my shoulders slouch from the thickness in the air. Zexion's grip falls away.

"Imani."

I twitch. Fingernails dig into my brain and tug harshly as the painfully familiar voice echoes in my ears. My stomach flips as I inch my eyes towards the direction the voice came from…and I find a man looking no older than Riku. His dark, side-swept bangs rest above his soft chocolate-colored eyes. The corners of his lips are curved up in an awkward grin.

_"It takes a lot to face the odds headfirst like that…"_

Immediately my lungs clench up and warmth push against the backs of my eyes. My vision blurs the entire bar into a sea of dull colors yet this man's eyes still appear crystal clear. Every word in my mind blares loudly above my attempt to get my lungs to expand properly.

_ "…to _defy_ the odds, and…"_

The warmth makes my chest swell and nearly falls from the rims of my eyes as the man murmurs quietly, "Remember me?"

_ "...heh, you have it."_

Without realizing it I lift my arms and press my wrists on the top of my head almost as if to push down the questions and the images rapidly spinning in my mind. I remember him. I remember him.

"Imani?"

I shake my head in disbelief and whisper his name.

Faster and faster the diner seems to spin as his smile falls from his face and his eyebrows inch together. Those dark eyes of his widen and his face magnifies strangely. His lips move but I can't hear what he's saying.

I vaguely wonder if I said the wrong name while darkness seeps into my vision from the edges, blotting out the diner.

* * *

**Author's Afterthought: **Thanks for reading! Please leave a review!


	23. Aden

**Author's Comments: **Thank you for reading this far! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Kingdom Hearts. _I own Imani and Aden.

* * *

I emerge from unconsciousness to the sound of water dripping and the feeling of something cool and wet being placed on my forehead. As I slowly awaken, the thoughts drifting around in my head slow down almost to a standstill, floating easily with my deep breathing. I peel open my heavy eyes to find my bedroom surrounding me instead of the diner.

"You always wake up or go unconscious so abruptly, don't you?"

Something flutters in my stomach and I glance at the man sitting next to my bed who's smirking crookedly at me while wiping his hands on his jeans. He's the stranger who came up to me right before I fainted. "You feeling better?" he asks.

I hum rather than nod to be mindful of the towel sitting on me. Tension builds up in between my eyes as I study him in the dim light, breathing one question: "How?"

He arches an eyebrow. "How what?"

My chest swells with some unknown sensation, growing larger with each moment I continue looking at him…and I can't seem to see enough of him. My eyes slide up and down his entire body, taking in the wrinkles of his dark t-shirt with a robot shooting donuts from its head and the faded jeans leading to his worn-down basketball sneakers…I have to take in every detail because I don't know whether this is a dream or not and I can't be sure of how long he'll be here—

I tear my eyes away with more effort than I'd like to have needed. "How is it that you're here?" I whisper, half-expecting him to disappear if I speak too loudly or even if I blink.

"Master Yen Sid sent me a message telling me to come here as soon as possible," he murmurs calmly. "I meant to get here sooner, but I had to come up with an excuse to get out of school and away from the house."

I frown and my brow knits together. The tension in my forehead only grows more persistent now that it's coupled with a nagging sensation at the back of my head. I don't think he really answered my question…

The man's eyes sparkle with understanding and he chuckles lowly at my expression. "How exactly did I get here? Why was I able to communicate with you across the universes? How was it that you were able to live in that universe without ever knowing or realizing that you were different? Did I know you were the Kismet Scribe?"

I blink. He verbalized my thoughts so easily.

"In that universe, I was known as Aden Brisce, your older brother," he goes on. "Here, I'm known as Aden Brisce, apprentice of Master Yen Sid."

I bolt upright, the covers sliding down and the towel on my forehead falling into my lap. "You're his _apprentice?_"

He nods. "Integrating you into that other universe and watching over you was kind of like an assignment he gave to me."

I collapse against the headboard of my bed, shaking my head slowly in disbelief. "You knew all along, even when I was having those dreams…Why didn't you say anything?"

Uncertainty flickers in his eyes as he takes the fallen towel back and lets it slip into the bowl of water on the bedside table next to the pile of rolled-up papers. "I didn't know what was going on when you told me about the nightmares you had so I didn't mention anything about your past. I wasn't supposed to ever tell you, anyway."

My eyes follow his movements and the images of this man—of Aden—grow crisper and more defined in my head. His voice rings true and familiar as he speaks. His smile brings color to the pictures. "I can't believe I forgot you."

Aden's lips curl into a smile and his eyes soften. "You couldn't help it."

Suddenly my throat tightens up painfully and warmth pushes against the backs of my eyes. "I missed you. I really, really missed you."

"I know." He picks up one of the papers next to the bowl and uncurls it. "You told me that in every other message you sent to me."

I fidget in my seat and my nerves prickle slightly as I watch him read whatever's written on the paper. He chuckles before turning the paper around to let me see the other side.

_I miss you, too._

The breath I didn't realize I was holding slips past my lips. The papers were messages from Aden?

"You forgot about these, too?" One by one he reads each paper and hands it to me. "You might have remembered faster if you looked at these."

I swallow and look away, my cheeks heating up. "I haven't spent much time in here."

"How come?"

One shoulder shrugs. "I don't know."

Another soft chuckle. "It's funny you say that. I spent every free moment I had in your bedroom."

I frown again and glance up to look at him. "Why?"

The bed sinks and the messages in my lap rustle as he sits down next to me and pulls me into a tight hug. "I really, really missed you."

The rumbling in his chest sinks into my skin and warmth explodes in my empty chest. I lean into him with a shuddery breath. I don't care if he used my words. He's here.

"That night you left, I woke up when I heard you breathing heavily in your sleep. I was about to wake you up but when I moved to put my hand on your shoulder…my hand went straight through." He sighs wistfully, his warm breath blowing across my neck. "Getting out of your bed and letting you disappear before my eyes was the hardest thing I've ever had to do."

"You let me go?"

"Master Yen Sid's orders to me were to let you return to this universe if you were called back. He didn't say I wasn't allowed to scream at the top of my lungs after you left."

"You screamed at the top of your lungs?"

"After I soundproofed your room so the whole city wouldn't wake up."

I laugh breathlessly. "Why didn't you follow me?"

"Master Yen Sid _also_ ordered me to remain in that universe until he told me to come back here."

"You would've been a huge help to me if you were here."

"You sure about that? I think I would've been more of a distraction to you than any help."

I open my mouth to disagree with him but the words won't form on my tongue. Why would he say something like that? Why do his words ring true in my ears?

"Imani?"

Instead of dwelling on the mystery, I ask, "Why didn't I have any memories of you if you were Master Yen Sid's apprentice?"

"I never got involved with Kingdom Hearts before today."

"So I'll remember more of you now because you're here?"

"Yeah…when you get your heart back."

I sigh and my lips twist into a frown. Absolutely everything leads to Xemnas.

Aden loosens his hold and shifts to sit side-by-side with me. "I heard you were training today."

"Without a weapon," I add.

"I can fix that."

My eyes widen and hope swells in my chest. "You can?"

"I'm Master Yen Sid's apprentice. I've been training to do stuff like this for _years_," he says without any boasting. "I'm sure I can give you a weapon."

With a sigh I rest my head on his shoulder. I'll really need one tomorrow, especially if I might fight Riku or Axel or even Sora.

"For now let's sleep." He lifts the covers to slip underneath before switching the light off. "I'm supposed to bring you down to the sandlot tomorrow morning."

I lie back down with him. His arms settle around me and a foreign yet familiar peace ripples through my veins to every inch of my body. As I close my eyes and bury my head into my pillow, I silently pray that I won't wake up to realize Aden's arrival was a dream.

* * *

Donald's grip tightens around his staff as he glares angrily at me from across the sandlot. He was chosen to fight me first this morning under the pretense of being a "warm-up round" slash "test dummy for the new weapon" according to Leon.

"Don't hesitate," Aden calls from the sidelines. "Just keep your wrists straight."

I glance down at the paper-thin blade of the katana Aden conjured for me. _"I was gonna give you something original like…deer horn knives, but I kinda thought you wouldn't want to be _that_ close in combat with Xemnas,"_ he told me with a smile.

It was strange. The moment I took hold of the handle, my head suddenly cleared up. I didn't feel dizzy anymore…but while the sword is light and easy to swing, I have to wonder if it will shatter if I strike incorrectly. I don't know what deer horn knives are or if they really exist, but surely they would be better to fight with than this super-thin strip of metal…if the blade is made out of metal.

My eyes widen every time the blade seems to _sparkle. _A trick of the light. The metal must be extra shiny. Maybe the blade isn't as thin as it looks, either…

"Watch out!"

I glance up just in time to dodge the bolt of lightning shooting down from the sky. The spot where I stood sizzles and smokes in its wake.

"Stop daydreaming and fight me!" Donald cries, swinging his staff and sending a shower of lightning and an army of fireballs charging towards me.

I dash out of the way and make my way towards the duck, poising my katana for a swing. He squawks and jumps away right as I bring my blade down, narrowly missing the blade by a hair. I swing again and he parries with his staff, locking our weapons in a battle of force that seems to last for minutes.

Steadily, Donald's staff lowers under my force until my blade barely nicks his blue hat. His glare melts as he goes cross-eyed at the blade and his body begins to tremble. My stomach churns at the thought of lowering the blade any closer to his head.

I chance an uneasy look at Leon. Have I won yet?

He notices my look and blinks slowly. "You two can stop now."

Relief washes away the stickiness in my stomach as I lift my blade away and step back from him. Donald lets his arms hang and the head of his staff rest on the ground as he huffs to catch his breath. His glare has returned. "Y…You…I wuh…I was going easy on you…"

Leon lazily turns his head to look at the rest of the group watching the fights. "Who wants to go next?"

Riku, Axel, Zexion, and Cloud shoot sidelong glances at each other before Riku sighs, pushing himself off the wall. "I'll go," he declares, swiping a hand before him and bringing out a keyblade sizzling with blue sparks.

A groan rumbles in my throat. _Riku?_ There's no way I'll be able to land a hit.

"You can take him, Imani," Sora calls.

Riku stands at the ready before me, his keyblade poised and his jade eyes locked on me behind those silver bangs. Reluctantly I bring my katana before me and breathe in deeply. Our blades almost touch. The silence thickens in the sandlot.

Then, a shout. "GO!"

Riku lurches forward, swinging the keyblade without abandon. I parry the swing but I can't force him to step back. He keeps moving forward and forcing me backward. I knew this would happen. I _knew _this would—

"Imani! Fight!"

I freeze. Suddenly tremors take over my knees and hands and elbows and my lungs seize up—

A harsh blow to my shoulder knocks me down.

"Come on, Imani!"

As my head hits the dusty ground, yellow orbs and icy claws belonging to the Things that were with me when I was looking at the stained-glass circle flood my eyes. The entire lot grows pitch black and they step closer and closer and I can't help shrinking into myself and trying to stay away from them as much as possible because they scare me they _really scare me_—

"FIGHT, Imani!"

On impulse my leg kicks out and I send the Thing flying onto its back. Leaping to my feet as if pulled up by puppet strings, I bring the katana above my head and prepare to swing down. Jade eyes widen.

Wait. Jade? Didn't the Things have yellow eyes?

"Yeah! You did it!"

I blink. There aren't any Things surrounding me. I didn't knock down a Thing. I knocked down RIku. I was just about to hurt _Riku._

The katana slips from my hands. Shudders rack my bones and I collapse to the ground again, bowing my head and wrapping my arms around my middle. Oh God, I almost hurt Riku…

"Imani?"

Those Things were attacking me. Why were they attacking me? They didn't attack me before when I was looking at the stained-glass circle.

"Imani."

I was really scared…and I realize I don't like feeling this. _Fear._ I don't like it at all.

"_Imani_."

A hand grasps my shoulder and I jerk my head up.

"You okay?" Riku asks.

I swallow thickly and nod.

"Did…Did you have a hallucination?"

A hallucination? "I-I think…so…" I trail off. "I was surrounded by a sea of yellow orbs and they kept coming closer and I thought I was fighting them instead of you and I almost _hurt_ you—"

"That's _great!_"

I jump at his outburst. "It is?" I ask, furrowing my brow at his huge grin.

"Your memories are gaining more strength," Riku explains. "You used to hallucinate whenever you'd remember a particularly powerful memory."

A smile of my own pulls back my mouth. My chest swells with warmth and I feel like laughing. "Really? That's great!"

"I told you it was!"

Shadows fall over us as the group of spectators gathers around, helping us up and patting us on our backs. "I think she's ready," Leon concludes, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes.

"So now what?" Sora wants to know.

"Now we find Xemnas." Leon frowns. "Or find a way to get Xemnas to come to us."

"We'll figure something out," Tifa reassures him. "We always do."

"I'm starving!" Sora dashes to the lot exit towards town. "Lunch is on Axel!"

The rest of the group follows as Axel shouts, "What the—? No it's not!"

Aden trails behind with me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. "I'm proud of you."

My smile widens. "I couldn't have done it if you didn't make this for me." I hold out the katana and twist it slowly, marveling at the sparkling blade. "What the heck is this made out of?"

"Diamond."

I blink. Diamond. That explains a _lot._

"You're gonna have to get used to carrying that around. The scabbard's made of lacquered wood, but when the blade is sheathed…" he proceeds to take the sword from me and slip it into the scabbard before handing the entire thing to me, "…the package gets heavy. You'll definitely build your arm strength if you sneak in some lift reps in your spare time."

"Why diamond?"

"The man with the long hair—Vexen, I think? He was telling me about your dizzy spell and how exposure to light is making you so disoriented. I chose diamond because it's the hardest stone known to man and it naturally catches light. That blade will catch whatever light you can't handle so you don't feel weakened by it."

That must be why I didn't feel dizzy when I fought.

"You're one step closer to getting your heart again," Aden remarks.

I hum. "I can't wait."

* * *

**Author's Afterthought: **I was originally going to have Imani fight with deer-horn knives, but I realized I didn't quite like the idea. (Deer-horn knives really do exist; they're so cool-looking!) Thanks for reading! Please leave a review!


	24. It

**Author's Comments: **I was really worried; I didn't have another chapter prepared to update the story for the week...but I came up with this! And lo and behold, I finished another few chapters yesterday! I can tell you that the story will be ending pretty soon, though. I don't want it to drag on and on like _The Kismet Scribe _did.

Hope you enjoy this next chapter!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Kingdom Hearts._ I own Imani and Aden.

* * *

Somehow the sixteen of us (me, Aden, Axel, Sora, Riku, the king, Donald, Goofy, Cloud, Tifa, Leon, Yuffie, Aerith, Zexion, Demyx, and Vexen) squeeze into the not-so-secret hideout in the corner of the alleyway. The toes of my shoes barely touch the outer edge of the light portal and my arm keeps rubbing against the king's left ear. I can't recall hearing anyone mention coming back here again.

A warm hand nudges my shoulder. "Step on it."

I shoot the glowing liquid-like portal a strange look before craning my neck and arching an eyebrow at Axel behind me. "But nothing's going to happen."

"Says who?"

"Nothing happened the first time."

"That was when you barely remembered anything. We're trying again." Before I can argue ("How would remembering anything make a difference?") he shoves my back and pushes me forward. I stumble onto the portal, tripping over my feet and almost crashing into the wall.

The room goes so silent I can hear my clothes rustle as I regain my balance. I meet every pair of eyes watching me expectantly before sighing, "I told you nothing would happen."

Some let out their own sighs while others hum thoughtfully. "That plan's out," Leon mutters, crossing his arms. "What now?"

Vexen and Zexion share a glance before the former asks me, "Can you call a Dark Corridor?"

I blink. "What's a Dark Corridor?"

The two turn to look pointedly at Riku whose eyes narrow slightly. Several moments pass before Riku breaks the staring contest—muttering something like "Fine. _I'll_ do it."—and stretches an arm out as far as he can without shoving Demyx. "This."

Dark miasma rifts in the space before his hand, growing into a black hole big enough to swallow someone. The air around us shifts with the miasma's movement. Didn't Xemnas do this when he disappeared?

As quickly as it grew the miasma shrinks completely and Riku lowers his hand. "Think you can do that?"

"Wait! Before you try, since the light portal thing didn't work, can we just go outside already?" Demyx pleads. "Someone keeps stepping on my foot."

"Sorry," Goofy mumbles.

We file out and march to the sandlot, stretching out our limbs and waving our arms with sighs of relief. "If I can't do it, then what?" I ask no one in particular.

Zexion's visible eye locks in on me and he bids, "At least try."

A frown twists my lips. Awkwardly I stretch an arm out before me, revealing my palm to the opposite wall and waiting for something to happen…

I understand that I'm kind of a Nobody and that I'm not _supposed_ to feel, but there isn't any other way to describe it—I feel quite stupid.

"Am I doing it right?" I drawl after a minute passes.

"_Call_ for the Dark Corridor," Zexion instructs. "It won't open unless you command it to."

I shoot a half-lidded sidelong glance. It won't open unless I _command_ it to? _Really?_

He matches my stare easily almost as if to say, _You're the one who forgot how to do this in the first place. Who are you to think my method of instruction is ridiculous?_

Stifling a sigh, I reluctantly utter an order in my mind: _Open._

A ripple of energy shoots from my shoulder down the length of my arm all the way to the tips of my fingernails. The space rips open to reveal darkness that spills from the edges and waves around like flames. Shifting air presses and pulls at my skin gently with each movement from the miasma.

My jaw drops and my eyes widen. Well, what do you know…?

"Where should we search first?"

I turn my head to watch the group discuss. "Are you sure this is okay?" Aerith asks, glancing hesitantly at the thing I called up.

"With certain means of protection, traveling via Dark Corridor shouldn't be too much of a problem." Vexen's ice-blue eyes dart to me. "Where is your coat?"

"The dark one? It's at the apartment."

"Someone needs to fetch it." He stares pointedly at Riku—again. "Quickly."

He rolls his jade eyes beneath his bangs and growls, "Yes, Your Highness."

"Wait," I call, stopping Riku in his tracks. "Why do we need to get it?"

"The coat was designed to protect the wearer from the effects of the darkness," Vexen explains.

"I thought you said it was made to protect the wearer from intense exposure to light."

"That, too."

"So I won't feel affected by either light or darkness if I wear the coat?"

"Correct."

I lower my arm and relief washes over my sore shoulder and wrist. "Isn't that bad?"

Vexen arches an eyebrow and Zexion blinks. "Pardon?"

"I want to feel affected by light and darkness, right? That proves I'm a Somebody."

"What are you insinuating?"

"This could be a test to see how much I can handle when I face Xemnas."

Immediately their inquisitive stares—everyone's—harden to stony rejection and wide-eyed alarm. "A _dangerous_ test," Vexen hisses. "There's no telling what could happen to you if you linger in the darkness for too long."

"Imani, you shouldn't let your desperation control your decisions," Tifa adds, her brow furrowing.

"But we have no idea how close Xemnas is to destroying all the worlds," I protest.

"We'll have less of a chance of stopping him if you lose yourself," Riku points out. "Who'll be the one to take back your heart if you won't be responsive enough to do it yourself?"

My objections die on the tip of my tongue and the air moves as the tall dark doorway collapses next to me. I drop my gaze to the dusty ground and run my proposition through my head a few times…and a wry chuckle simmers in my chest. Riku has a very, _very_ good point…Who am I to make calls like that when I could barely fight yesterday? Less than a week ago I didn't even know my own name.

"But she has it."

I glance up through my bangs and shoot Sora a weird look. It? What is he talking about?

He beams, whirling his head to meet eyes with everyone before nodding to me. "You know. It."

"Her…heart?" Riku tries.

"No. _It._" Sora's spikes wave gently as he thrusts his arms my way. "Just _look_ at her. It's practically seeping out of her pores. Can't you see it?"

Cautiously I lift an arm and study my skin. I don't see anything seeping out. Is Sora…hallucinating?

"OH!" Demyx exclaims loudly, pounding a fist into his other hand and causing everyone but Sora to flinch. "Oh yeah, I see it! I see it!"

"See what?" I ask.

"It!" The top hairs on his head sway as he turns his head left and right, laughing at the dumbfounded expressions. "Oh come _on,_ guys!"

Axel rolls his eyes. "Chill out, Demyx."

"Well do _you_ see it?" Demyx demands. "Huh?"

He smirks, locking gazes with me. "Yeah. I see it."

My shoulders sag under all my confusion and I huff, "See _what?_"

"Aha! I see it, too!"

Little by little my face contorts—my brow inches closer together, my eyes narrow, my frown deepens. His Majesty knows what Sora is talking about? And now Donald and Goofy?

"Oh! I get it! I _see _it!"

Smiles and smirks light up every face one by one. Even Cloud and Leon and Zexion and Vexen admit to seeing it (whatever _it _is), some more begrudgingly than others.

In a last-resort attempt, I look to Aden pleadingly. "What does everyone see that I don't?"

He smiles, parts his lips, and says clearly, "_It._"

Somehow, that's all it takes for me to finally realize what _it _is. Maybe it's because Aden was the one who told me so or because he was the first to identify it. For whatever reason, I understand.

"Even now?" I try hesitantly. "Even without a heart or a mind overflowing with memories?"

"_Especially_ now." He shrugs lightly, stepping forward and pulling me into a tight hug. "You've always had it—you just don't use it as much as I think you should."

Something slightly warm spreads in my chest as his words sink in. A sting pricks my eyes for a moment and I quickly shut them. Aden's easy breathing betrays the rapid heartbeat beneath my ear.

"You've got it and you're gonna use it to defy these odds and take back what belongs to you from Xemnas," he pep-talks into my hair. His heartbeat speeds up, pounding almost strong enough to send pulsations into me. "Just take someone with you when you go save the worlds."

"You," I immediately blurt.

His head shakes. "Not me."

"Why not?"

"I'm not the right guy for the job."

"What do you mean?"

"I just know I'll freak out if I saw you get hurt." He pulls away and looks me square in the eye with a sad smile on his face. "You alone should be the one fighting for your heart and I don't think I'd be able to step back if I tagged along."

With a reluctant sigh I glance at the group and offer a small smile. "Sora, then. And Axel. And Riku."

Riku's silver tresses swing with his shaking head. "Just take Sora."

"Sorry, kid." Axel shrugs. "Don't think I'm qualified for the job."

"W-What?" I—and Sora—cry.

"Just trust us on this one." Riku pushes Sora forward.

The spiky brunet, after regaining his balance, steps forward with his head ducked sheepishly and his eyes watching Aden with near-reverence. "Is that okay with you?" he asks carefully.

He arches an eyebrow beneath his side-swept bangs. "I'd be crazy not to trust any of the people who've welcomed her with open arms, _especially_ the guy who stops at nothing to fulfill his destiny to bring peace and happiness to the worlds."

A smile burst onto his face and he declares with certainty, "I'll take care of her."

Aden claps Sora's shoulder and nods. "I know you will. Now get going."

With a thrust of my hand and a mental order, I open up a Dark Corridor again. The moment it grows large enough for us to walk through, I spin on my heels and embrace Aden tightly. "Be careful."

"Why're you telling _me_ that? _You're _the one dancing with danger," he laughs, the words barely louder than his heartbeat. "I love you and you need to go get your heart so you can honestly say that you love me back. Now_ go_."

Reluctantly I pull away, nod when Leon informs me that the rest of the group will be searching throughout the worlds for Xemnas as well, and follow Sora through the corridor.

No solid walkway meets my feet as I step further inside. The air slides against my skin as I move aimlessly, my steps awkward and unsteady. The further we travel, the less I can see of the spiky head of hair I'm supposed to be following. "Sora?" I call as my pupils tug and pull to try adjusting to the thickening darkness.

"I'm right here," an echoing voice says. "Just stay with me."

A particularly deep dip when I take another step forward throws my stomach into my chest. "Where are we going?"

"Towards the end of the corridor. See that doorway?"

Another low dip of my foot and I squint my eyes. I can't find any sharp lines or distinct colors—it's all dark and blurry.

"It's right there. See?"

No. I can't see anything. I can't even see my hands when I lift them before my eyes.

"Imani?"

I squint until my eyes become thin slits, but I can't focus on anything. The air grows colder and denser, weighing on my shoulders and pushing against my legs as I walk yet giving into my steps easily so that I feel myself dip lower and lower…

"Imani!"

Something wraps around my wrist and yanks me up and back. A cry rips through my throat and I turn to face whatever took hold of me…and find the back of Sora's head illuminated by a flame in his other hand. I snap my eyes shut at the sudden light and groan.

"You were going _completely_ off course," he says. "It's _this_ way."

I let him lead me by the wrist to the other side of the corridor, keeping my eyes closed and stuffing down the curses at the back of my throat that rise every time my foot dips low. Finally solid ground meets—crunches underneath, rather—my foot and the air relinquishes me from the ghost-like hold it had when I was in the Dark Corridor.

"Oh no…"

The despairing whisper from Sora booms in my ears. Cautiously I peel my eyes open and promptly decide that if I had my heart, now would be the moment it drops into my shoes. Before us stands a mountain which, according to the picture in my head, should be covered from head to toe with pristine white snow but is instead covered in a thick blanket of writhing and hovering red-eyed creatures.

I swallow thickly as Sora releases my wrist. It's begun.

* * *

**Author's Afterthought: **Please leave a review! Thank you for reading!


	25. Eyes

**Author's Comments: **Hello! Thanks for reading this far. Hope you enjoy this next chapter!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Kingdom Hearts._ I own Imani and Aden.

* * *

Fighting off tens of thousands of Unversed couldn't possibly be a far cry from fighting off thousands of Heartless…but it's more than a far cry, as Sora and I discover quickly. It's a lost cause.

"That's the fourth world we've been to that's been overrun by Unversed," Sora huffs, bending over one hand on his knee and the other holding onto his keyblade. "How're we supposed to find Xemnas when the Unversed keep blocking our way and coming after us?"

I can only shake my head, my throat drying out as I try to catch my breath. The air of the Dark Corridor slithers over my sweaty skin and brings little relief to my aching lungs. "Maybe if we look for a world that the Unversed hasn't touched yet, we'll run into him."

He straightens up with a nod. "I guess that's the only thing we can do for now, huh? We just have to be careful we don't spend too much time here." The tip of his keyblade ignites a flame and he holds it up near our faces. He frowns. "Your eyes look lighter than they used to be."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means the darkness here is affecting you."

Something sticky and thick pools at the pit of my stomach. "Even with this?" I ask, holding up my katana and letting the blade throw the light from the flame all over our clothes and into the abyss around us.

He nods again. "Let's get out of here."

Wordlessly I follow him to the other side, wherever it leads. The sparkling katana somewhat keeps the darkness at bay from me thanks to Sora's keyblade flame. As we approach it, I can see a grand, not-quite-finished castle looming over a town. No red-eyed creatures are crawling anywhere and no screams of panic shatter the peaceful atmosphere of Radiant Garden.

Wow. That name came so _easily_.

"Something happen, Imani?" Sora asks over his shoulder, a corner of his mouth curving up to copy my half-smile.

I part my lips to answer, but then something in the distance catches my attention. Two muscular men—one with long dreads tied in a ponytail and another, taller one with stiff brown short wavy hair—stride down the road, darting their eyes from one building to another.

Fingernails tickle the back of my head as they turn a corner. I know them.

"Come on," I hiss to Sora, dashing to catch up with the men. Few people linger in the streets and the occasional "kupo kupo" or two lilts in the air as we run after them—

I nearly crash into the shorter man's back when he suddenly stops, whirling around and swinging a long lance at me. The hit to my torso flings me into the wall and the man pins me upright, his chiseled face inches from mine. Killer instinct flashes dangerously in his dark eyes…until he takes a moment to look at me.

"Imani…" the man breathes in awe, wide-eyed as he steps back.

My free hand massages the ribs he hit and I offer a pained smile. "That's a nice way to greet someone after months of not seeing each other, Xaldin."

He narrows his eyes but sends away the lance with a wave of his hand. "We were informed that you had no memories and that you could not travel between worlds."

"I'm slowly getting my memories back and I know how to call a Dark Corridor now."

Xaldin's jaw tightens, his dark eyes darting back and forth between mine. "How strange that you have been affected by the darkness despite not possessing your heart…"

My smile falls. "Is it really bad?"

"It's noticeable."

I turn to the taller man and nearly laugh at the sight of Sora clinging to his broad back like a little kid. "Lexaeus."

He nods to return the greeting, eyeing Sora pointedly until the boy jumps off with a nervous laugh. "What brings you to Radiant Garden?" Lexaeus asks.

"We're looking for Xemnas."

Several beats of silence erupt after Sora's words and the two men exchange a glance. Then, Lexaeus turns and continues walking up the pathway to the castle. "Come," Xaldin instructs. "Quickly."

Sora and I follow the men, weaving between tall walls of jagged rock until we come across a group of people standing in a large open area. Images flicker in my head as we approach the group—images of Cloud fighting a man with long, silver hair and an even longer katana.

"What took you so long?" a man with an eye-patch and dark hair with silver streaks yells, his arms akimbo. "We've been here for at least ten minutes!"

Xaldin jerks his head towards Sora and me. "We ran into someone."

The group does a double-take. "Sora…" a pink-haired man whispers in shock. "And Imani…your _eyes_…"

Subconsciously I duck my head and let my bangs fall before my face. They don't have to _stare_…

"Long time no see, eh, Sora?" The one-eyed man grins cheekily, offering a gloved hand to me. "Hello there. How do you do? I'm the tooth fairy."

I reel back as he shakes my hand roughly. Hello there? How do you do? _The tooth fairy?_

"This," he waves his free hand to the pink-haired man (who's rolling his blue eyes), "is Mother Nature." The hand points to the smirking blond man with several earrings. "That's Father Time. And _that_," he finally gestures to the blond woman, "is Princess Yorko-Shmorko. In a little bit you'll get to meet the man who lives on the moon."

The circulation in my hand is starting to disappear on me. I furrow my brow at him while trying to yank my hand from his grasp. "_Princess Yorko-Shmorko?_" I repeat dully. "That's the best you could come up with, _Xigbar?_"

"So you _do_ remember us!" Xigbar howls in laughter, finally releasing me and throwing back his head.

Sora chuckles lightly and I sigh. "I guess I'm still a toy to you…"

"What's that you got on your back, Maxie?" Larxene cranes her head around me, her eyes alit with curiosity. "Is that a _weapon?_"

I shrug and the katana strapped to my back clinks softly. "I can't fight Xemnas barehanded."

Larxene gasps and Marluxia hisses, "You're planning to _fight Xemnas?_"

"How else am I supposed to get my heart back and stop him from destroying the worlds?"

"Do you know where he is?" Sora asks.

"None of us know his whereabouts," Luxord drawls, "but perhaps Saix does. We're meeting today to discuss the matter."

"Perfect timing!" Xigbar suddenly shouts, clapping his hands together once.

We all turn to the walkway to find a blue-haired man with an x-shaped scar on his face walking calmly towards us. When his golden eyes fall on me and Sora, he merely blinks and walks past us to the edge of the cliff. "Imani. Sora."

"Do you know where Xemnas is?" I demand, rushing to his side without a second glance at the edge.

His eyes narrow but he doesn't turn to me. "You seek Xemnas?"

"Yes. I have to get my heart back and fix the stained-glass circle."

"And you've come to Radiant Garden in search of Xemnas."

"_Yes._ Do you know where he is or not?"

A breeze flutters his long hair but he remains as still as stone. I don't dare breathe in case he decides to answer when I least expect it.

"I do."

"Tell me, please," I beg the split-second he finishes answering. "Tell me where I can find Xemnas."

He continues to stare off into the distance with those narrowed eyes for minutes until he slowly turns to face me fully.

"Saix, _please,_" I hiss.

The tension around his eyes steadily fades away and he looks at me for a long while. As slowly as he turned to face me, he turns his head to the distance again, keeping his eyes locked on mine until his head completes its turn before letting his gaze drop. "Xemnas," he murmurs, "is down there."

My brow furrows at his deliberately slow revelation…but I follow his gaze to glimpse down at the dark depths of the trench—

A hard shove to my back sends me flying over the edge of the cliff.

"IMANI!"

Time seems to slow as I descend into the dark and twist my body to glare incredulously at Saix's calm smiling face. Sora struggles helplessly against Lexaeus' hold, screaming my name long and loud. Xigbar waves a hand with that same cheeky grin he gave me earlier.

Those _traitors._

"IMANI!"

Sora's second shout breaks the hazy shock surrounding my mind. The figures looking down on me shrink with each second. I turn back to the trench and curse under my breath. What do I do? What do I do?

_"YOU CAN'T STAY UP THERE FOREVER!"_

The trench turns into a desert oasis before my eyes (or in my mind's eye?) for a second before I find myself falling into an abyss—a Dark Corridor.

That's what I'll do!

I stretch a hand out below and jolts of energy surge through my arm. The air shifts as a crack of dark miasma opens up and I slip inside, suddenly upright on my feet. Gravity no longer weighs on my back but the usual slight pressure slips along my skin.

I frown. _The usual_ slight pressure?

Quickly I reach over my head and unsheathe the katana. I can't get used to being in here. I can't lose myself any more than I already have.

With a snap of my fingers and a single-worded command—_ignite—_I bring about a small flame and instantly sigh in relief at the light reflecting off the katana blade as it throws itself around me. I need to get out of here right now. This safeguard won't keep the darkness away completely. I _have_ to get out.

But where to go? I don't know how to navigate through these corridors without Sora. What if I remain stuck in here until I die? What if I can't ever find a way out? What if, by the time I _do_ get out, all the worlds have been overrun by darkness and Xemnas—

I shake my head firmly, breaking up the train of dismal thoughts. I have to find a way out somehow. As I turn in a slow circle, I peer into the abyss for some sort of escape...like an exit doorway…

Oh. _There_.

Carefully I tread through the tangible space towards the spot of color in the distance, keeping the katana blade in my peripheral. The occasional low dip deters my progress but eventually I climb out of the corridor onto a sandy moonlit beach.

The air tastes slightly salty. With a gust of wind the flame on my fingertips blows out. Large boulders sit scattered around me. Strange arching structures overlap each other on the near horizon over the gentle water lapping against the beach.

The sensation of fingernails scratching the back of my head returns in full-force. Something must have happened here, but I can't remember what. Maybe if I take a look around a picture or two will form in my head.

I weave around the boulders towards the water, returning my katana to its scabbard on my back. The breeze combs through my hair gently as I look around. Nothing but beach stretches to my left, but to my right…

Instantly my hand returns to the handle of my katana and I draw it out, pointing the tip inches from the head of the black-cloaked figure sitting on a rock. He faces the water with his hood up and doesn't flinch when he turns to me. The edge of his hood brushes against the tip of my blade yet he still doesn't seem alarmed.

The sand beneath my feet crunches as I crouch slightly and shoot him the most menacing glare I can muster. Maybe Saix and the rest aren't traitors at all. They led me straight to—

"A visitor."

My eyes widen. His voice…It's not _his_.

"A _troubled_ visitor, it seems," the man corrects.

He's _not _Xemnas.

Without relaxing, I ask warily, "Who are you?"

He looks at me for a few moments more before turning back to the water. "Who am I…?"

Just as I'd hoped, pictures start flashing before me. I see a man with long blond hair and a beard, poring over papers scattered on his desk. He wears a periwinkle lab coat and walks around with a boy who looks like a younger Zexion and he uses strange tools to pick at the heart of his dark-skinned, silver-haired apprentice and suddenly he's wandering in the dark and wearing red with his face covered and carrying a device—

"I…am lost."

* * *

**Author's Afterthought: **"Princess Yorko-Shmorko." Yeah. I was a little desperate. I could imagine Xigbar saying something like that, though.

Thanks for reading! Please leave a review!


	26. Ansem

**Author's Comments: **Hello! Hope you had a good week. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Kingdom Hearts._ I own Imani.

* * *

"Imani."

The man barely budges but repeats quietly, "Imani…"

I lower my katana slowly, sheathing it behind me again and straightening up. "That's my name."

"How did you come here, Imani?"

All the suspicion that tightened my muscles and hardened my resolve completely fades away. I lower myself to the ground, tenting my knees in front of me and tucking my arms between my thighs and my torso. "I'm looking for someone. He took something from me."

"You seek to retrieve what he took away?"

"If I don't, then the worlds will continue to succumb to darkness."

"What did he steal from you?"

A wave licks the toes of my shoes. "My heart."

His coat rustles. "You are a Nobody…?"

I glance sidelong at him, tugging a corner of my lips into a wry smile.

"You have no heart," he begins thoughtfully with his face turned to me again, "yet…"

"Yet what?"

He leans forward. I can feel his eyes boring into mine. "Yet the glimmer in your eyes is of a true, deep sadness. You possess the ability to hold emotions."

My smile widens. He's still very perceptive. Maybe he can help me find Xemnas…if I can bring him up to speed somehow…

I shift so that I face him fully, propping myself up with one arm. "Do you remember how you came here?"

A sigh escapes his lips just as a wave laps the beach. "I cannot say. I have no recollection."

"I might be able to help you…"

The man's silence urges me to continue.

"I'm a memory recorder…" I shake my head, averting my gaze to the pale grains between my fingers. "I mean, I _was_…when I had my heart…but I'm slowly remembering things I knew before…"

"What kinds of things?"

"Battles between warriors who wielded keyblades and long journeys throughout the worlds…" The images, though slightly blurred, stream in my mind. I return my gaze to him. "Hours of researching the heart in dim laboratories…"

"You've researched the heart?" he asks, an eager timbre lacing his soft voice.

"No," I whisper. "_You_ have."

He jerks back with a gasp, his hand slowly reaching up to hold the side of his head. I hold my breath and watch him closely. I can barely make out his amber eyes flitting around rapidly—unseeingly.

With another jerk and another gasp, he looks to me, slightly breathless. "Who _are_ you?"

"I am the Kismet Scribe…and _you,_" I smile kindly, "are Ansem the Wise."

The man nods slowly, absorbing every word I've said. "I remember…not _everything_, but bits and pieces…" He asks urgently, "Tell me—what has become of Organization XIII?"

I shake my head. "It's gone. Thanks to Sora and his friends, all the Nobodies ceased to be nothing but memories in here—" I reach up to jab a finger to my temple, "—until I found a way to give them their hearts without destroying the worlds."

"Why did you do that?"

"Because I could."

"They nearly _obliterated_ the universe with darkness."

"They were only searching for that _something_ that would make them feel whole...something that would fill in the nothingness of their existence. I simply guided them to finding that _something._"

"But what of Xemnas?"

"Unlike the others, his thirst for power didn't die with his Nobody. The moment he came into being again, he sought to steal my heart, my memories, my strength…_everything_ I had. He's using everything he took to bring the worlds to their knees." My smile is long gone and I declare quietly, "I _have_ to get it all back or else he's going to gain control of Kingdom Hearts."

Ansem soaks it all in and squares his shoulders with a serene determination. "Then it is critical that you find him quickly."

"Not before I help you truly remember." The sand shifts beneath me as I get to my feet. "You might be able to help me find a way to stop him."

"You do not feel ready to face him?"

"I could barely fight the other day and twice my poor reflexes failed me today. I doubt I'll be able to land a hit on Xemnas. There has to be a different way to stop him."

He hums thoughtfully, those eyes traveling over my face. "You said you were a memory recorder…If you can record memories that don't belong to you, is it possible for you to transfer memories to others?"

I blink and my eyebrows shoot up. I'd never thought of anything like that…

"Can you pass on memories to others?"

"I don't know. I've never tried…" I take a hesitant step towards him. "May I…?"

He nods once.

I walk up to him until the toes of my shoes are an inch from his boots…and spend at least a minute just staring at him. My mind comes up blank when I try to think of possible ways to transfer memories.

_Just do what feels right_, a voice in my head instructs patiently. _This will be like an experiment—I don't have to get it right the first time._

I raise my hand…then drop it…then raise it again to reach for his hood, brushing my fingers on the edge in another silent question of approval. His second nod gives me the okay and I gently peel away the hood, revealing a tanned face and a pair of amber eyes.

What feels right?

I throw all doubts over my shoulder with a thick swallow. Holding my breath, I raise my hand and settle it directly on his eyes…but nothing happens.

Maybe a command will do the trick.

_Remember,_ I try. _Remember—you are Ansem the Wise. Transfer memories._

Still nothing happens.

"Sorry," I mumble sheepishly to him.

"Keep trying," he encourages softly. "I feel this will be important in your quest."

I nod, breathing in deeply to clear my mile-a-minute nerves. What feels right?

_Putting my forehead on the hand covering his eyes._

My brow furrows not only at the answer I came up with but the certainty seeping into my bones and coursing through my veins. Really?

Deciding I don't have a better option, I swallow again, hold my breath, and zoom in, planting my forehead on the hand covering his eyes and letting my own shut. Just when I make contact, energy buzzes in my head and rumbles through my hand into Ansem's skin. I almost want to jump back and shake away the sizzling in my hand but I stifle the urge.

_You are Ansem the Wise,_ I whisper to him as images of his past play. _You are Ansem the Wise, former ruler of Radiant Garden and educator to Xehanort, Braig, Dilan, Even, Aeleus, and Ienzo, your six apprentices who banished you to the dark depths. You adopted the identity DiZ—Darkness in Zero—and sought to seek revenge on the Nobodies of your apprentices who had lost themselves in their research. You wandered here after your attempt to stop Organization XIII failed and have since been losing your mind and your memories…until _now_._

A shockwave explodes where my forehead and hand touch him and sends me flying back, tumbling into the sand. Throbbing pain bursts throughout my entire brain and my hand tingles numbingly. I can only squeeze my eyes shut and groan.

"Imani…"

"Huh…?" I moan.

Footsteps crunch toward me. "You did it. Congratulations."

It…worked? Ha, it worked!

A half-smile stretches my face as I slip in and out of consciousness. "I should be…telling _you_ that…"

"…nk you Ima…"

* * *

**Author's Afterthought: **I feel like I haven't worked on _The Moirai Zealot _in a long, long time. I half-forgot what was written in this chapter. Hope you enjoyed reading! Please leave a review! Thanks!


	27. Skyscraper

**Author's Comments: **Sorry for the sorta-late update! Thank you for your patience and hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Kingdom Hearts. _I own Imani.

* * *

Droplets pelt my cheek and pitter-patter on the ground, enticing me from unconsciousness a bit roughly. The liquid slips into my ear and weaves through my hair and seeps into my clothes. With a shiver I force my eyes open, blinking away the rain.

Rain? When did it start raining?

As my eyes adjust, I glance around. Instead of grainy, shifting sand, I find myself lying on flat, solid pavement. Instead of large boulders, tall buildings loom over me on all sides. Instead of salty waves, the air reeks of rain.

I wrinkle my nose and push myself onto my feet, instantly deciding I don't like any of this. I'm soaked from head to soggy-socked toe. How did I get here? The last thing I can remember is being forced back while trying to help Ansem the Wise remember.

Where is he?

My shoes squelch disgustingly as I take a step in a random direction down (up?) the road. "Ansem?" I call out, cupping a hand around my mouth and wrapping my arm around my torso. "Ansem? Are you here?"

Nothing but the rain replies. My katana clinks with each step I take and I start to wish I'd listened to Vexen and brought my coat with me. Where the heck am I?

"Hello?" I shout. "Is anyone here?"

When I round a corner, I nearly jump out of my skin. An odd, sucking noise—almost like a vortex—goes off. A pair of bright yellow orbs rises from the ground before me. Though the rain sort of blurs my vision, I can barely make out a head, a pair of antennas, limbs, and claws.

It's a Thing.

Slowly I reach over my head to grab the handle of my katana, drawing it out from its scabbard. I know for sure that the Things aren't my friends like I thought they were when I saw that stained-glass circle. They _attacked_ me.

I nearly drop my guard when the Thing crawls a few paces _away_ from me before sinking into the ground again. After staring at the spot it disappeared into for several moments, I carefully continue walking down the road, katana still poised before me. Several times I halt in my path to eye another Thing rising, pacing around, and sinking into the darkness. The further I travel, the more often they pop up…but not one of them attacks me.

I can't help furrowing my brow at their strange behavior. They don't pay any mind to me. It's like I'm not worth paying any mind to—like I'm not interesting or worthy enough. If that's the case, why did they attack me in that hallucination I had?

Soon the road expands into a courtyard. My katana had been glinting in the light from the buildings, but when I step into the courtyard, the blade gleams brightly. I search for the source of the increased light…and breathe in awe at the skyscraper towering above me.

Like a punch to my skull, a tidal wave of images clouts my mind. A blindfolded man with silver hair and a keyblade—Riku?—races down the side of the skyscraper as a blond boy with _two_ keyblades dashes up to meet him in a flurry of swipes and slashes. I blink and suddenly the blond boy is replaced by Sora and the blindfolded man is replaced by…

"You found me."

The loud deep voice jerks me from my thoughts. It's _him._

"Just as I anticipated, I have been betrayed by those who used to share the same objective as me."

His voice booms over the rain almost like thunder. I spin on the soles of my feet and crane my neck, but I can't find him anywhere.

"Though their betrayal disappoints me, it is probably for the best. They would only get in my way if they chose to join me."

"Where are you?" I demand.

"Up here."

Blinking away the rain dripping into my eyes, I squint and peer up…and find a figure with long silver hair standing at the very top of the skyscraper above the large screens. Anger boils in my blood at the sight of his confident smirk and his goldenrod eyes. I tighten my grip on my katana at the sound of his laughter.

"How ironic that we meet here," he comments dryly. "Do you remember the name of this building?"

"Memory's Skyscraper," I growl without a second thought.

A dark cackle ripples in the air. "Maxiin," he purrs, "it appears you've been spending quite a bit of time in the darkness."

I duck my head, letting my wet bangs hide my eyes. "Had to get to you somehow."

"You risk losing yourself to the darkness to reach me?"

"It _worked_, didn't it?"

As he laughs again, the rain slowly starts to stop falling. "What an intriguing weapon your fake brother constructed for you."

A growl rips through my throat at the word "fake."

"I've heard of the special qualities that sword has…qualities that support you enough to possibly convince enemies that you at least exceed the completely worthless." His chuckles rumble in my ears. "I, however, am only convinced that you are nothing but a hopeless Nobody, fighting for a cause long lost."

"Don't associate me with what _you_ once were," I snap. "You know very well that I am no ordinary Nobody."

"I _do_ know. You are weakened by your emotions. You allow your emotions to hinder the little strength you possess. It was for this very reason that you were kept away in the castle—you were and still are a _sentimental mess._"

"You're _wrong!_"

I dash up the shallow flight of stairs leading to the skyscraper, crouch down, and leap to climb over the banner of neon lights, landing on the side of the building and tearing up towards him. Adrenaline surges through my limbs as my feet pound the glass windows and the strips of concrete. The wind propels against my damp face and through my hair, making my glaring eyes water slightly.

That smirk of his widens and he jumps over the edge, spreading his arms out to either side. His hands glow red as he descends towards me. With a shout I swing the katana at him just as he passes behind me. He turns in midair to face me, bringing his glowing hands together and combining the red lights in each hand to form a big sphere of energy.

"Your desperation will be your downfall, Maxiin," he declares, firing the sphere straight at me.

He's _wrong._

Just as I land my foot on one of the screens, I bring the katana down in front of me, blocking the red bullet and sending it hurtling back towards him. Gravity pushes down on my back and I fall towards him. His eyes widen as the bullet crashes into his chest, the sparks licking his arms and legs. A flicker of triumph ignites in my chest when my ears catch his low frustrated growl.

Suddenly an explosion of miasma erupts behind him and swallows him whole. Something flutters in my stomach when I see the pit of darkness shrink with each passing second to reveal hard, sharp stairs. I squeeze my legs together and bring my arms to my chest to speed up my descent…and just barely make it through the flaring lips of the pit.

Once I make it though, though, I can't spot any silver hair or goldenrod eyes—only a circle of colored light that grows bigger and bigger as I approach at light speed and I can't feel any tangible space to soften my fall or push back against me or hold me up and I wave my arms and kick my legs but I can't stop myself from falling—

Pain smashes into my bones and rattles my lungs and sends my head into a blank state of pure agony as I crash onto the colored circle. Moans curdle in my throat and I curl into myself, the grating sound of my katana's blade scraping against the ground searing my ears. The throbbing has me paralyzed…

"_Imani! Fight!"_

But I can't let it paralyze me. I have to get up…no matter how…_painful_…

"_Imani!"_

I _have_ to get up…

My body screams in anguish but I force my arms to push me up onto my feet, breathing heavily through my clenched jaw. Tears push against my squeezed-shut eyelids and I can hardly keep my grip on my katana. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in…

I pry open my eyes and the breath seeps from my sore (most likely punctured) lungs. The circle I fell on is made of stained glass…but it's not the one I saw before. A girl with short dark hair lies on her side in this one, curled to fit the curve of the circle. One hand clutches her chest while the other cradles the side of her head. Her eyes are closed and her brow is wrinkled almost as if she's having a nightmare. There aren't any smaller circles with familiar faces surrounding her—only pure white space. Blank space.

Oh God. This girl is _me.

* * *

_

**Author's Afterthought: **Thank you for reading! Please leave a review!


	28. Manipulate

**Author's Comments: **Wow, another week has passed already? Jeez...at least that means a chapter upload! Hope you enjoy reading!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Kingdom Hearts _or any of the lines from the game (as noted with a *)_. _I own Imani and Aden.

* * *

A pain greater than that swirling in my body clutches my chest, right where I think my heart is supposed to be. Tendrils writhe aimlessly for something to grasp. More tears blur my eyes and I gasp for my breath.

I slowly shake my head. This picture is _wrong._ I'm not supposed to be alone. I'm supposed to be surrounded by the faces of my friends…Aden should be in this picture. Aden and Sora and Riku and Axel and all my friends are supposed to be here. Why am I alone? Why aren't they here?

A tear trickles down my cheek as a voice in my head answers, _Because they're in my _heart_._

But I have memories of them. I've remembered so much about them.

_But without the heart, the power of those memories diminishes tremendously. In the same way, without memories, the heart can't draw forth the strength and the will to truly _live_._

The words echo in my ears, breathing renewed power into my body and banishing the pain that confined me. With my free hand I wipe the wetness from my cheeks. My other hand tightens its grip on my katana and I exhale long and loud. I said I'd fix this and I _will._

"Rise," a low voice commands, "agents of darkness."

A loud sucking vortex noise erupts. Stickiness wells up in the pit of my stomach and yellow and red explode from the darkness surrounding me. Gusts of air blast me at all angles, chilling my damp skin and whipping my hair.

When the sucking noise ceases, I gaze wide-eyed at the sea of yellow orbs and red slits. There are so many…Things and Unversed…and they're what are standing between me and him.

"_Imani! Fight!"_

My katana clinks softly as I raise it before me, gripping it with my other hand and crouching slightly. I shoot a final look at the girl trapped in her nightmare in the picture beneath my feet before glaring at the sea. "I won't fail," I tell her.

"Empty words."

Warm breath blows past my ear. The hairs on the back of my neck rise on end at the voice directly behind me. I can practically _feel_ his smirk burning into my back.

"You will _choke_ on those words once I'm through with you," he whispers.

I whirl on my heels and slash behind me but all I find is thin air. The slice of my blade ruptures the silence like a shotgun signaling the start of a race. Immediately the yellow orbs and red slits charge forth towards me, stampeding over the stained-glass circle.

And there, in the far distance, stands Xemnas.

"_FIGHT, Imani!"_

The monsters disappear in clouds of miasma as I slash and swipe at them. I keep having to stop every two steps to fight more monsters. The lack of light glimmering off the blade of my katana isn't helping, either. My head starts clouding up with dizziness as I advance further towards Xemnas.

_Strike,_ I command.

Bolts of lightning crash down around me as I move, sizzling some of the Things and Unversed into nonexistence and throwing light to my blade to kill some of my wooziness. Though my pace has sped up to six steps for every pause to fight, Xemans is still too far out of reach. There has to be a better way to get to him…

Icy claws tickle my ankle. As I swipe low to get rid of the Thing, a pair of distressed blue eyes beneath my feet catches my attention and my own widen. That's _Sora—_

A shout rips through my throat as something sharp digs into my shoulder. I furiously slash around me to reveal more of the face below me. In seconds I've uncovered Sora's face and soon I've found Riku and Zexion…and Kairi…and the king…

I'm standing on the stained-glass circle I first found when I lost everything.

My mind reels as I fight to uncover more of the circle. If the stained-glass circle with me in it is relative to what's really happening with me, then this stained-glass circle is probably relative to what's going on, too. There's something wrong with this picture, too, but what? The downcast faces of my friends stare back at me pleadingly and Xemnas lies in the middle of it all with such an eerie calmness about him and he's totally oblivious to the turmoil surrounding him—

That's it! _He's _what's wrong with this picture!

With more vigor I fight off the monsters, glancing down to search for Xemnas' sleeping image. My arms are beginning to ache and my side hurts and the monsters are slicing my clothes and scratching my ankles and digging into my limbs but I have to ignore the stinging because I have to get to him I _have_ to get to him—

I shift my grip on the katana, raise my arms above my head, aim the tip, and thrust down into Xemnas' image right where his heart would be.

A roar erupts and the glass beneath me shatters. Shards fly up all around me, forcing me to shield my face with my arms. Miasma ghosts over my skin as I freefall into the abyss.

"Very good," a voice murmurs behind me suddenly, sending a shiver down my spine. "Let's see how well your _emotions_ will let you fare."

My feet land on solid ground far more gently than I'd anticipated. It's almost startling…but not as startling as the voice that suddenly calls out.

"You don't look like you're _half_ the hero the others were.*"

I whip my head up from my arms and toward the voice. Standing on a ledge against the far wall of the room is a snickering Xigbar. How did he get here?

Xigbar barks out a laugh at my incredulous gawking face. "Surprised, poppet? I didn't think you'd be. Didn't you remember that your greatest weapon was your memory?"

A conversation with Master Yen Sid vaguely plays in my head as I try to comprehend everything. This isn't Xigbar standing in front of me—this is _Xemnas._ He's portraying Xigbar using the memory of the sniper.

"Let games begin!"

Xigbar—I mean, Xemnas swipes his arms across his chest, bringing out an intricate gun in each hand. He crouches on one knee with a laugh, cocking the guns and aiming…at me.

Cursing under my breath, I roll out of the way just as he fires several bullets. How do I get him down here where I can reach? What will get him to come down?

I stumble over my feet and take a moment to regain my balance—a moment he uses to fire more bullets at me. On instinct I stop and swing my katana like a baseball bat, sending them back to the shooter's gun. His frustrated growl reverberates off the walls as he stands on his feet and—

Wait. Where'd he go?

"He-e-eads up!"

Hot bullets sink into my back and shoulder. A gust of wind blows behind me and suddenly the man appears upside-down in midair, his guns aimed and a smirk on his scarred face. I dash out of the way and barely miss the bullets but he keeps teleporting and firing and my skin sizzles with pain. There has to be a time when he runs out of bullets and he has to—

"Reload," he mutters, pausing and fiddling with his guns.

Ignoring my burned skin, I leap into the air and thrash at him, relishing his grunts of pain with each landed slice. Too soon he's firing and teleporting again, forcing me to jump and dash to avoid getting hit. Several times the cycle repeats and I slowly wear him down until he warps to the middle of the floor, standing upright.

"Let's see how you dance!*" he shouts.

Suddenly the floor space shrinks into a small square. He spins in a circle, leaps from one corner to the other, and levitates above my head while firing countless bullets rapidly. No matter how high I jump or how quickly I roll out of the way, they all follow me and stab my body at once, raining down mercilessly and trapping me in a prison cell of pain.

"C'mon, Maxiin! You can do better than that!"

He's right. I _can_ do better than this.

His taunting voice grates my ears and sharpens my resolve. When the storm of bullets finally ceases, I run directly beneath him, snag his wrist, and hold on for dear life. At that moment, he begins to disappear and inadvertently pulls me along into a space chasm. Pressure squeezes me at all angles, tightening my grip on him.

His eye widens. "What the—"

I fight against the thick pressure pushing against my arm to thread the blade of my katana through both guns, yank them from his grasp, chuck them to the side, and thrust the blade into him. He howls in pain, the sound delayed because of the space pressure until suddenly the space relinquishes. The blood rushes through my veins and to my head like a river that's free from the dam, mixing in quite nicely with the triumph throbbing in my limbs.

Xigbar's scarred face melts into smooth, tanned skin. His hair escapes from its ponytail and the patch covering one eye slips away. "We've only just begun, Maxiin," Xemnas declares quietly, withdrawing the blade from his chest without flinching.

His large hand—when did it get so _big?_—grabs my wrist and twists hard, wrenching a surprised cry from me. With only the hand around my wrist, he throws me down as if I'm a ragdoll. My burned back slams into solid marble with such force that I'm _positive_ I cracked my shoulder blade and a rib or two.

I've barely enough time to breathe or moan in pain as I spot a large man descending directly above me with his arms pulled over his head and a tomahawk poised to strike. I scramble to my feet as best I can but I only manage to take a few steps away before the ground flies up below me in a rising mountain of earth. My knees buckle and my spine wobbles as I soar to the other side of the circular courtyard and nearly fall off the edge.

Each breath causes a tear to spring at the corner of my eye and a twinge to rattle my aching body. Only moaning seems to take my mind off the pain, but I can't breathe in enough air to continue moaning for as long as I'd like. Heavy footsteps echo through the floor, growing louder as they approach me slowly. I can't find the strength to peel open one eye to see whose memory Xemnas must've used this time…but I have a pretty good idea already.

"Compromise isn't selfish, hm?" The deep voice chuckles sardonically. "While it might not be selfish, it certainly didn't do you a whole lot of good, did it?"

My jaw tightens and I mentally scream for the pain to leave me. How can I hope to fight the memory of Lexaeus when I'm battered and beaten to within an inch of my life?

A pair of emerald green eyes flashes in my head. _"Fight with your will to protect and to restore."_

Aerith's words somehow soothe the ache in my body and sharpen my senses. Her face—and the faces of my friends—ignite a warmth in my chest that I hope isn't really blood seeping from a punctured organ. I have to fight for _them_.

"Do you regret giving us Nobodies our hearts?" he asks quietly. "Do you regret giving _me_ a heart?"

The memories of Zexion and Vexen's countless hours of study and research and Marluxia's patient coaxing in a garden of red roses and Larxene's triumphant cackling after beating the latest group of monsters and Luxord's endless winning streaks and Xaldin and Lexaeus' labor with the reconstruction and Saix's content gazes at the moon and Xigbar's gleeful target practice and Demyx's guitar-playing in a seaside café and Axel's carefree smirk flood my mind. "No…" I barely whisper.

"You _don't?_" I can hear him arching an eyebrow skeptically. "So if you could do everything over again from the beginning, you would still toil restlessly to find a way to give us Nobodies our hearts, even if you knew your own would be stripped away by me? Even if you knew you'd _die_ trying to get it back?"

I can hardly feel the pain anymore as I open my eyes and look directly into his blue ones, saying clearly: "Yes."

Lexaeus' face glares down at me, the wrinkles in his brow deep. "Foolish."

With a little effort I push myself onto my feet, bracing myself against a nearby pillar and gripping my katana. "Foolish? You think that's foolish of me?" The corners of my mouth pull back into a smile. "Then I've already won."

* * *

**Author's Afterthought: **After pressing the replay button on my stereo to listen to Imogen Heap's _Have You Got It in You?_ and after watching videos of _Kingdom Hearts II _gameplay against Xigbar and Lexaeus, this is what I came up with. Please leave a review! Thank you for reading!


	29. OneEighty

**Author's Comments: **Sorry for the late update! I've been busy with settling in for school. I can't guarantee that my updates will be as timely as they have been up to now. I hope you can bear with it! Please enjoy this new chapter!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Kingdom Hearts _or the lines from the game (indicated with a *)_. _I own Imani.

* * *

Boulders dig into my back, throwing me into the air roughly. Quickly I shift and dash towards him, leaping up to slash and slice at him before dashing away from his devastating tomahawk. I can never dodge a blow entirely—his attacks make the entire platform quake—and that flaming aura engulfing him keeps me away.

I frown at the weight in my arms and the soreness returning to my feet. If I don't defeat him soon, I'll run out of energy and he really will kill me. I have to strike when he's vulnerable—

A roar erupts and he grabs the front of my shirt, hurling me towards a pillar.

_Sora collides into the pillar upside-down with a grunt. Lexaeus roars, slamming his tomahawk into the ground and sending a wave of boulders and earth towards the boy, pummeling him into the air._

No! I can't let that happen to me!

I flip in the air, landing on the pillar with my feet and pushing off of it to rocket towards him just as he raises his tomahawk to strike the ground. The tip of my katana stabs his chest without resistance, stopping him abruptly as I collide into his shoulder. An earth-shattering howl shakes the air surrounding us and the ground rumbles dangerously…yet, above all the noise, a voice hums disappointedly.

"Riku defeated Lexaeus in half the time you spent. You truly believe you can win against me?"

Suddenly I collapse to the rough ground as Lexaeus vanishes into thin air. Faint gusts of wind whisper past me, whirling violently around the devastated island that the marble platform seems to have turned into. The sand digs into my bare knees and the heels of my hands. "I told you already," I turn to the voice. "I've already won."

An indigo eye—the only visible one; the other is hidden behind a curtain of slate bangs—narrows. "Is that so?"

"I won long before this charades game of yours even started!" I declare, the words burning in my throat and strengthening my arms as I push myself off the ground to glare at him.

He glowers at me for a few moments…then sighs. "It appears you've fallen under another hallucination of yours…Then I shall make you see that your hopes are nothing," his voice rises and he waves an arm, "_nothing_ but a mere _illusion_!*"

I swallow down my outburst and tighten my grip on my katana as he produces a thick tome from thin air, flipping the pages quickly. Green light and black miasma pool at his feet and shroud him until all I can see are his outstretched hand and his narrowed eye. The green light flashes—

Intense pressure squeezes me from behind, wrapping around me and pressing me thin like a page in a book. A strangled, frustrated cry escapes my mouth. Why didn't I see this coming?

When the pressure releases me, I find a bunch of identical tomes looming around me in the middle of a whirlwind. I have little time to contemplate not seeing Zexion anywhere before the tomes begin firing balls of blue crackling energy at me. My skin burns at the contact as I hobble and hop out of the line of fire, hacking away at the books one by one in a flurry of pages.

As I slice through another book, Zexion materializes with a grunt of pain. "Found you!" I shout, raising my arms and slashing his front. An intense flash of light blinds me for a moment before the island reappears below my feet.

He staggers to inch away from me, his shoulders rising and falling with his breath. I charge forth to thrust my blade through his chest until the hilt hits his body. His eye widens and he chokes on his breath.

Slate hair grazes my cheek as I murmur in his ear, "Fast enough for you?"

"What haste you show in slaying your friend," Xemnas' deep voice coos.

My ears twitch at the lack of concern in his words. "That was not my friend. That was a flimsy shade of the memory of my friend."

"A flimsy shade?" He grabs both of my wrists and pushes me away, withdrawing the blade from his chest. "I believe I hear a _challenge_ in your remark."

"It's a challenge you can't hope to meet," I hiss as he forces me back.

Goldenrod eyes glitter and his silver tresses billow in the wind of the storm. Unruffled, he curls his thin lips into a smile before hoisting me up by my wrists alone and throwing me to the side and over the edge of the island. The storm tosses me around like a piece of paper, jumbling my thoughts and flailing my limbs all over the place. The air whooshes by too quickly for me to take a breath.

As suddenly as I'd been thrown into the storm, my heels bump into solid ground and my legs crumble beneath me. All is still around me—the jagged rock walls, the debris, and the black-cloaked figure crossing his arms at me.

"Jeez, Maxiin," he almost pouts. "You're pretty mean without your heart."

Xemnas matches his appearance completely from the half-Mohawk, half-mullet style of his sandy blond hair to the sparkling blue eyes to the lazy slouch in his posture. Still, the certainty resting in my chest and the understanding I've come to after these last few battles with Xemnas ring clearly throughout my body. I smirk at him and shake my head. I've already won.

His brow furrows. "Something funny?"

"Demyx is one of my best friends," I tell him as I rise from the ground. "With the way you are now, you can't compare to him. At all."

"With the way I am now? What's that supposed to mean?"

I shake my head again, taking a deep breath and sprinting towards him, katana poised to pierce.

He yelps, whipping an arm in my direction and dousing me with ice-cold water. "Wait! I don't get it! _Tell_ me, Maxiin!"

"The enemy doesn't wait!"

"_Maxiin!_"

Pillars of water shoot up from the ground in the middle of my path, forcing me to skid to a halt. The moment the pillars fall, large orbs of water rocket towards me, knocking the breath from my lungs and drenching me to the bone. I dash towards the sitar-wielding sham, slashing the watery apparitions on my way.

"Ma—"

"My name is _not_ Maxiin!" I cry, thrusting the katana into his chest.

He yowls and sinks to his knees, letting his head fall to his chest in defeat. Dirty blond hair lengthens and changes color, flowing from his head like water and fluttering in the breeze. He doesn't grunt or flinch as I withdraw my blade and position it across his neck.

A low growl, then a hand grips my wrist and squeezes tightly, crushing my bones and wringing a yelp from my throat. Xemnas rises before me as my katana clatters on the ground out of my grasp and throws me to the side and straight into a jagged rock wall with a roar.

I laugh under my breath as the sharp edges dig into my back and through my torn clothes. "So you _can_ get frustrated."

"Your insolence is vexing," he mutters, the words bouncing off the walls.

"Is frustration the only emotion you can feel?" I ask.

As he nears, his stoic face gives away nothing but disdain. His narrowed eyes glitter with mild irritation rather than burning rage or maniacal determination.

My brow furrows. "Or maybe it's the only emotion you've _allowed_ yourself to feel, even if you have a heart. Or maybe…maybe it's the only emotion you're _familiar_ with."

Even as he grips my shoulder and wraps a hand around my neck to cut off my breathing, the irritation in his eyes sinks into blankness. Apathy.

I clench my jaw to keep from wincing at his tightening grip. "You think of yourself as a Nobody with a provisional heart—as someone who is _superior_ to emotion…" I harden my gaze. "But it's not that you're_ superior _to emotion. It's that you've forgotten how to feel. That's your downfall. If you can't immerse yourself in emotion, you can't truly power the memories you have."

He squeezes even tighter.

"You lack the heart to give into emotion." I dig my fingers into the rock wall behind me. I will _not_ flinch. "That's why I've won."

Several apathetic moments pass before he arches an eyebrow and murmurs, "Is that all?"

I blink incredulously and I can't hold back the cringe as his fingernails pierce my skin_. Is that all?_

"You believe you've won because I've lacked _emotion_ behind my fight?" he asks slowly, uttering the word _emotion_ as if it were a curse or a disease. "I'll give you _emotion._"

He releases my neck and uses his free hand to punch me in the gut, his knuckles brushing against my ribs harshly. Suddenly the wall behind me vanishes and I'm sent flying in the air until I crash into the ground. I shut my eyes and moan at the pain sizzling in my gut.

"You _liar._"

The words send jolts down my spine. When I manage to open my eyes wide enough to take in my surroundings, my chest grows empty and cold. The jagged rock walls are still here and so is the debris, but instead of a black-cloaked figure stand five very familiar individuals with blazing angry eyes and poised weapons.

If I had my heart, now it would be squeezed by the writhing tendrils in my chest and would soon after shatter into a billion tiny pieces, I'm sure.

"We _trusted _you," the silver-haired one hisses.

The only warmth I feel is rising up against the backs of my eyes. My ribs feel like they're tightening around my lungs, making it harder for me to breathe. Weight sinks into every inch of my body, compressing the heaviest in my chest right where my heart is supposed to be.

"You're not Imani," the spiky brunet snarls. "You were _never _Imani. From the very beginning, _Imani never existed._"

The sensations in my body overpower all other thoughts and commands like _run_ or _fight back _or even _these aren't my friends_. They charge forth, but all I can do is curl into myself and cry. Damn you, Xemnas.

* * *

**Author's Afterthought: **I wrote this? Haha, it feels like it's been so long since I revisited anything having to do with _Kingdom Hearts_. Hope you liked this chapter. Please leave a review! Thanks for reading!


	30. At Last

**Author's Comments:** It's been too long. I'm so sorry! Life's been keeping me busy and I could never find the right words to write to keep the story going...until now. I finally, finally, _finally_ finished this chapter. I have to upload this before life takes over my schedule again. Thank you for your patience and your support! I hope this chapter is worth the long wait!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Kingdom Hearts. _I own Imani.

* * *

"FIGHT BACK!"

A slash across my back sends me flying into the air and sparks lick my skin everywhere. Just when I begin descending to the ground, another slash tosses me up. I can barely breathe.

This is wrong.

"What's the matter, _Maxiin?_ Scheming up another web of lies to tangle us in?"

Finally I land on the ground with a grunt. My chest heaves for air and I can hardly keep my eyes open. Lifting even a finger has become a laborious task. I shouldn't be paralyzed like this.

"You don't _need_ to fight back, do you? You're _invincible._ You can handle whatever we dish out without batting an eyelash!"

Steady footsteps close in, scuffing and slapping the ground. This isn't really happening. This isn't really Riku and Sora and the king and Donald and Goofy here. I know the truth. This is Xemnas manipulating a memory.

"You _bitch._"

So why can't I move? Why can't I fight back?

A hand grabs the front of my shirt and yanks me upright, making my head bob and sway on my neck painfully. Narrowed blue eyes glare and Sora's lips move, but Xemnas' deep voice slithers out instead: "Is this enough _emotion_ for you?"

The air scrapes my throat with each breath. They're so close my skin tingles with the warmth radiating from them. The handle of my katana slips from my grasp to the ground with a clatter.

"Can you _feel_ it?" he coos. "The _pain_ at being betrayed by your friends?"

A loud boom explodes in my ears and drowns out my scream as a lightning bolt crashes down on my head and sizzles through my limbs.

"The _torment_ that comes with the thought of hurting them to protect yourself?"

Intense heat bursts on my back, burning through my clothes and seeping into my body until I can't think of anything else.

"The _fear_ of losing the ones you love because of a simple misunderstanding?"

Suddenly the heat disappears, leaving my body suspended in icy emptiness and anxiety. Fear. I don't want to open my eyes. I know I wouldn't be able to glare back at him for more than a few seconds without crumbling.

"No, I don't think you can."

Still, my eyes fly open at his casual observation. Riku, the king, Goofy, and Donald are no longer towering over me. Sora's blue eyes and spiky hair are long gone.

"You can't truly feel any of the pain or torment or fear," Xemnas concludes.

"What are you saying?" I want to scream in his face. "Of _course _I can feel it! I can feel everything!"

All I can do, however, is shake my head incredulously as he arches an eyebrow.

"Perhaps this will help," he muses…and then stands abruptly, hoisting me up from the ground in the process.

In the blink of an eye, everything around me becomes drenched in darkness as if a can of black paint was splashed onto the walls and the sky and the floor all at once. His grip on me vanishes. Solid ground sits beneath my feet.

I have to blink several times for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. I suppose this isn't a Dark Corridor since I can breathe easily and the air doesn't slide against my skin like it would otherwise. Where am I, then, and where did Xemnas go?

"You're so _stupid_."

The sharp, painfully familiar voice slices the silence and stabs my chest. With each passing second the air grows warmer…denser…

"We gave you a chance to _defy the odds _and where did that get you?"

It's strange how I feel frozen in place despite the heat pulsing around me. I can't even breathe. The tiniest movement singes my skin.

"_Why are you giving up on me so quickly?_" he taunts in a high-pitched voice."_Why won't you give me a chance?_"

Beads of sweat trickle down my spine and the sides of my face. "A-Ax—"

A wall of orange, red, and yellow flames soars up inches from my nose. I stumble back into something solid and choke on my breath as an arm slithers around me to lock my neck in a chokehold. The leather sticks to my skin and pinches me as I try to wriggle out of his grasp and turn my head away from the spike digging into my cheek.

"Well look where _that_ got you," Axel's voice hisses.

I can't breathe I reach up to try wrenching his arm away from my neck with my fingers clawing and digging and the smoke is clogging up my throat and lingering in my lungs I can't breathe and a film of moisture washes over each of my eyes—

"You thought you could save the worlds, huh?" he mocks. "You thought you could be a _hero_. You thought you could do anything because you thought you had what it took to defy the _freaking _odds."

Every word cuts into my skin like blades and stabs my gut and my chest beads of sweat race down my back the colors of the wall of fire blur together as the tears welling up in my eyes blind me—

His arm releases me suddenly and I gasp for air only to cough and hack at the smoke invading my body until a hand shoves me down and grips the front of my shirt to tug me close to green eyes—

"YOU THOUGHT WRONG!" he roars. "YOU'RE NO HERO! YOU'RE A _NOBODY!_"

My face stings as tears run down my cheeks—

"YOU WERE _NEVER_ A SOMEBODY! YOU WERE AND ALWAYS WILL BE A _TOOL!_"

N-No, that's not true—

"You served your purpose already." His eyes narrow into slits. "Now you're _worthless_."

Th-that's—

"No one needs you. No one wants you."

Sto—

"Your nonexistence is a burden on everyone."

S—

"Why don't you just _disappear?_"

"STOP!" I shriek, pushing him away with all my might. He stumbles back far enough for me to crawl away from him. I can't stop hacking at the heavy smoke. My watery eyes flick from his glittering emerald slits to my left and right, searching for my katana.

Sharp laughter slices my eardrums. "Can't handle the truth, huh?" Axel crows, stalking towards me slowly.

Where is it? Where did it go? I pat the ground behind me, praying my fingertips will touch metal or diamond.

One bony shoulder shrugs easily. "But that's what _friends_ are for, right?"

I withdraw my hand from behind me with a cry, blowing on my burned fingertips. I can feel a wall of flames ghosting across my back and Axel strides closer, his maniacal smirk glowing in the light.

"_Friends_ spell the truth out for each other, even when no one wants to hear it," he laughs.

Helplessly my body curls into itself, my knees drawing up to my chest and head ducking and my hands balling into fists…

My breath catches in my throat. I sneak a look to my side…and my eyes widen. The hilt of my katana lies less than an inch from my grasp—

"Truth is YOU _DISGUST_ ME!" Axel roars, charging forth with his chakram poised—

I snatch the katana and point it in front of me just as he runs himself through it until his chest hits the hilt. Those green eyes of his bulge from his pale face, staring at me in shock. His breath slips past his lips in strangled exhales, puffing on my nose lightly.

An apology sits on the tip of my tongue as I stare back at him in horror. Drops of warmth trail down my cheeks and down my spine. My fingers tremble around the handle of my katana. With a shaky gasp I force myself to look away—at my hands, at the pitch-black ground, at the receding flames…anywhere but his betrayal-filled eyes.

"H-How could you…?"

My stomach twists and my chest aches at the sound of the voice. It's _his_ voice.

"Af…After all I did for you…this is how y…how you thank me?"

I clamp my eyes shut, tightening my jaw against the sobs. How dare he? How _dare _Xemnas use him against me like this?

"I…I _loved_ you…"

No…This isn't Aden. You're not Aden.

A hand slips over mine, curling around the hilt. "I _love_ you…"

You're not Aden you're not Aden you're not Aden—

Another hand touches my face. "Imani…"

My skin crawls. His touch is _cold. _The way he says my name is _cold._

"You're _not _Aden!" I scream. I slap away his hands, leap to my feet, and shove him away from me. My eyes fly open only to glare at the shadows…but I know he's still here.

"You _coward_," I hiss, my voice wavering from the way my nerves spasm in my limbs and crawl in my veins. With the back of my hand I smear away the wetness on my face as my glare hardens. "_Fight_ me, dammit! Quit resorting to dirty tricks and _fight_ me as _Xemnas!_"

An explosion erupts behind me. I whirl around and leap back at the sight of a giant rift in the space tearing wider with each moment that passes until tangled thorny vine-like appendages slither out, coiling and ascending above me and around me.

"I've had enough of your foolish declarations."

Vines wrap around my ankles and my wrists, settling like vapor then tightening a split-second later until I can't feel my circulation and until the katana falls from my hands. They pull my arms so roughly I can almost feel my shoulders popping from their sockets. I squeeze my eyes shut against the pain and just as a scream rips down my throat, his smooth, unnerving voice lilts calmly:

"You are not worth fighting. You are only a tool whose purpose has been already fulfilled. You are useless."

A shift in the air before me makes me open my eyes. Amber, half-lidded, confident eyes peer down at me.

"Do you know what happens to useless tools after they have no purpose?" Xemnas asks, bending down to my level and smirking. "They are done away with."

"For the last time…" I growl, "I am NOT a TOOL!"

I twist my wrists so I grasp each vine tugging me. _Ignite._ Instantly the vines burn away and release me. I bend down to snatch my katana and swing as I stand up fully…but he's gone.

His voice lingers. "The only thing more pitiful than a useless tool is one whose ears are deaf to the truth."

I only have a split-second to shake away the wispy smoke around my ankles before I begin slashing the vines as they torpedo towards me from all directions. My arms and shoulders ache. My body throbs with pain. Speedy blurs blind me as I try to spot a head of long silver hair or a pair of goldenrod eyes.

As soon as I spot those eyes hovering several feet above me, though, the ground falls out beneath my feet and I fall farther and farther from him. His figure shrinks until it becomes a tiny speck—

A thin, high-pitched tone zips into one ear and out the other. Suddenly images of angry, betrayed faces flash before my eyes and hateful, painful words buzz in my ears and my stomach churns with unease and tendrils in my chest flail and writhe—

A scream rips my throat apart. Intense jolts of energy surge through my limbs and ricochet from the top of my skull to the tips of my toes and fingers. Just as I'm about to squeeze my eyes shut, wisps of silver hair tickle my face and bright red bullets pierce me from every direction.

"Hmph."

In one moment everything disappears: the high-pitched tone, the images and the voices, the churning, the flailing, the writing, the jolts of energy, the bullets…everything except the pain. My entire body pulses with pain. Pain, pain, pain.

Smoky thorny vines suddenly rush towards me. I have to _move_.

With more difficulty than I could ever imagine I force my knees to bend and grimace at the feeling of a thickness wedged into the socket of each joint…but I can't jump quickly enough. They snake around my waist and ankles and _squeeze_. My arms feel heavier than lead when I raise them to slash away the vines. The more I slash, though, the heavier my arms become and the more I want to just let them fall, to release my grip on my katana, to shut my eyes and give up.

"_FIGHT Imani!"_

My eyes fly open. Warmth oozes over the pain in my body and swirls in my chest. I can't give up. With a growl I slash furiously at the vines keeping me captive, breaking into a sprint while darting my eyes everywhere in search of Xemnas. I _won't _give up. I'll shred every vine to tiny bits if I have to. I'll run until my legs fall out if I must. I'll fight until I die of exhaustion. I'll—

Icy dread sinks into my veins as I watch my katana slip out of my grasp with wide-eyes. The diamond blade sparkles as it flies further from me…like a shooting star…

It's beautiful.

No, I mean…what happened? I can't breathe or move. I can't think. I can only watch as the shooting star grows bigger at an alarming rate, rocketing towards me along with a pair of eyes.

It's strange. The warmth is still here. I don't feel afraid. For the first time in what seems like a long, long while…I feel like I know what I'm doing.

It's swift and sharp. My stomach muscles clench around it, trying it to resist the penetration. He shoves the blade further into my stomach until the hilt touches my skin. "And so," Xemnas crows in my face, his teeth gleaming as his maniacal smile widens, "the Kismet Scribe becomes a mere memory."

For a moment I lose myself in those eyes. They're mesmerizing, really. I wonder what color they'll be after this.

They narrow suspiciously. "Wha—?"

I slap my left hand over his eyes and press my forehead over it, slipping my eyes shut. He freezes with a gasp as sparks of energy sizzle through my hand and buzz around in my head.

I can hardly form the words on my lips: _You have no name, no family, and no home_. _What you do have, however, is a heart and a purpose. _

My right hand sneaks underneath the katana and between his arms to press against his chest right where his heart—and mine—beats rapidly…fearfully.

_Your heart is all you need to discover who you are and where you need to be. _

The leather of his cloak gives little resistance against my fingernails as I curl them in towards my palm.

_Follow your heart. Trust in your heart. _Your_ heart._

The closer my fingernails get to my palm, the stronger the beating in my hand grows. The pulsations make my skin quiver and my muscles shudder.

**B-bmp…b-bmp…**

"No…" Xemnas breathes.

_We may cross paths again…or we may not. If we do, I hope to become good friends with you—true friends._

"Don't be afraid," I whisper. "Don't be afraid."

* * *

**Author's Afterthought: **I'll probably come back again and revise the chapter, but I really didn't want to keep everyone waiting. I'm one chapter away from the conclusion. Thank you for reading! Please leave a review!


	31. Winner

**Author's Comments: **It's _finally_ done! Ahhhhh! I'm so sorry for the long wait for this conclusion. Though it's pretty short, I hope this chapter does justice to the long, long gap between updates for this story. Thank you so much for your patience! Please enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Kingdom Hearts_. I own Imani.

* * *

_"Imani."_

_ Hmm?_

_ "You need to come home now."_

_ But I'm so tired._

_ "You can rest as much as you want when you come back."_

_ But—_

_ "Stop complaining. We miss you, you know. I miss you."_

_

* * *

_

Wet, cold taps to my face coax me back to consciousness. A yawn pushes its way out of my mouth as my eyes flutter open, blinking away the rain. The skyscraper reaches for the stormy sky above me, its screens alit with images playing so rapidly the colors seem to blur.

I furrow my brow. How did I get here…?

Then, like a blow to my skull the memories stream before my eyes as quickly as they play on the screens. My mind whirls as I rise from the ground and jog further away from the building to get a better look. The pictures flash like lightning—pictures of grave faces and sad eyes and Unversed and Heartless and friends and Xemnas.

Despite the way my heart—my heart, my _heart_—aches with each image, a smile tugs up the corners of my mouth. I remember. I remember everything!

Suddenly, the screens show a picture of an empty sandlot. In the middle of the lot stands Axel, Riku, Aerith, Leon, Cloud, Donald, Goofy, the king, Tifa, Yuffie, Zexion, and Aden. Down the hill runs Sora, a bright smile on his face as he skids to a halt next to the group and announces, "She did it, didn't she?"

Aden nods with a grin, exhaling deeply. "Come home, Imani."

He doesn't need to tell me twice. I whip an arm out to my side and dark miasma tears into the space. Not even my sloshing wet shoes can dampen my spirits as I dash inside and run to the opening on the other side of the expanse. As I get closer, I can see figures waiting on the other side, one of whom stretches out his arms—

"Aden!" I cry, tackling him and wrapping my arms around him.

His chest rumbles as he laughs wholeheartedly. "That was fast."

"Can you feel it? Can you?"

"Yup." He pulls away and steps back, keeping his hands on my shoulders and smiling down at me. "It's pretty dang strong."

I couldn't agree more. It won't stop beating. This warmth won't stop circulating through my veins into every inch of me. It's been too long since I last felt like this.

"I love you," I blurt.

Aden blinks…then laughs. "I love you too."

"You did it, Imani!"

I break my gaze with Aden to look at everyone—the bright smiles of Sora and Donald and Goofy and the king and Aerith and Tifa and Yuffie, the triumphant smirks of Riku and Axel, the stoic faces of Cloud and Zexion and Leon…I have to glance at everyone at least a few times before I can let out a breath of relief.

I fixed that stained-glass circle, I'm sure.

"Imani?"

"Thank you," I tell them as sincerely as I can. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

"For what?" Riku asks, quirking an eyebrow beneath those silver bangs. "You're the one who saved everyone."

My heart's swelling. It feels _amazing_. "Thank you for not giving up on me when I'd given up on myself."

"Awww," Tifa and Yuffie exclaim at the same time, rushing over with their arms extended. "C'mere, you!"

While I nearly get tackled to the ground and bombarded with questions, I catch a glimpse of a certain redhead backing away slowly and turning to saunter towards the town square with a smirk on his face. He doesn't say anything. He just leaves.

A corner of my mouth quirks up as I sigh under my breath. I don't get it, but I suppose I'll catch him later.

"So what happened, Imani?"

"Wait! Let's go eat! You can talk while we eat!"

"Sora, you're such a—"

* * *

It looks the same: daunting and depressing. What a mess.

With a sigh I slide down the side of a building until I reach the ground, kicking my legs out before hugging my knees to my chest. I'm sure the Twilight Town Council will take care of it, but still…I feel like I'm to blame for this. I hope I can suppress my guilt when I come across Olette and Hayner and Pence.

"Hey."

Cold plastic slaps against my cheek gently and I flinch in my spot, tearing my eyes away from the debris to look up at my visitor. Red hair, green eyes, tattoos, and a half-smirk loom above me.

"Why'd you leave without saying anything?" I ask quietly.

As he lowers himself with a grunt to sit next to me, he perches the package of sea-salt ice cream on my knees right in front of my face. "Thirteen's a crowd," he says with a shrug.

I snort and roll my eyes. My legs stretch out before me and I pinch a corner of the package, tearing it and bunching it down around the stick end.

"Your eyes…"

I pause for a moment before taking a lick. "You noticed."

"Zexion did, too."

"I know. He said it could be permanent."

He hums vaguely and we lapse into comfortable silence. I let the salty-sweet-creamy taste of the ice cream roll around in my mouth as I study the mountain of debris. I remember it so clearly—the lurch in my stomach, the loud booming noise, the way my eyes flew open in the middle of my sleep, the exact angle of the red bullet that hit the face of the clock, the exploding brick raining down on the courtyard below, the glitch in the beating of my heart—

"What happens now?"

As if on cue, my heart skips a beat in alarm. Images of red eyes flash in my head. I watch the creatures crawl and slither and float over nearly every inch of the worlds…causing innocent bystanders to flee…

"Imani?"

The Unversed are still around…but at least they won't keep coming. At least he's not the cause.

I smooth away the creases in my forehead and lick at my ice cream. "He's out there somewhere," I murmur.

He doesn't reply right away…but he asks after a pause, "Why didn't you kill him?"

As I lick away the last of the ice cream, I purse my lips and furrow my brow. "I don't really know, but Aerith says it's because I had _compassion_," I murmur, bringing my free hand to rest over my heart. "She says it takes a heart strengthened by times of laughter and times of pain to extend compassion to someone…"

"You think she's right?"

My hands fall into my lap and my eyes dart around from the orange-tinged sky to the rubble mountain to his faded jeans to the bare ice cream stick in my hand…to no avail. The memories still play all at once. I can't distract myself from them. I can't ignore the flickering bipolar sensations seizing my heart…but I wouldn't have it any other way.

"She could be," I finally admit, allowing a corner of my mouth to curve up into a half-smile.

His low hum buzzes through the air quietly. "So where is he now?" he asks, grimacing slightly after seeing that he isn't a winner this time around, pressing the middle of the stick between his fingertips—

"I don't know."

With a whoosh, flames spark at the stick's ends. "You don't know?" he nearly laughs. "Whaddya mean you don't know?"

"He's not involved with Kingdom Hearts anymore," I murmur with a short shrug, staring at the twin flames as they inch closer to his fingers.

Out of the corner of my eye I see him arch a thin eyebrow at me. "So, Kismet Scribe, you just saved the worlds from destruction for the second time in six months. What are you going to do next?"

A snort bursts past the back of my throat at his cliché question. He chucks the stick to the side a split-second before the flames lick his skin and I ponder…

"Don't hurt yourself coming up with an answer."

Rolling my eyes and sighing, I glance at him with a grin. "I really don't know."

His eyes glitter with both exasperation and amusement. "You don't know."

I shake my head, my smile growing wider. "Isn't it great?"

That angular smirk of his stretches his pale skin. "Yeah."

It is great. I lean my head against the wall and bring my ice cream stick up to eye-level. It's definitely great.

_WINNER._

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**Author's Afterthought: **Thank you to **Dance of Flame**, **TheForgottenHero**, **Midna Hytwilian**, **Dakan**, **xchemx**, **Kanika Meskhenet**, **xcrescentxmoonx**, **Dave-MingChang**, and **Taeniaea** for leaving reviews and for supporting me throughout this long writing process. Thank you to you readers who didn't leave reviews for your silent support. I couldn't have gotten through this without you.

So...what now, you ask? I've got a bunch of unfinished projects to tackle (the main ones being _The Captive Heart Show _and that sequel to _Benefriends_). Check out my profile page for more information and for other stories I've written. Once again, thank you _so _much for reading this through! Please leave a review and let me know what you think!


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